Diablo III - Renegade Wizards
by Yunorok
Summary: Two siblings raised in the Yshari Sanctum embark on a quest for freedom and power. However, the adventure that they expect isn't at all what they get. They find themselves in a battle against a powerful demon with his eyes set on their destruction.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The Yshari Sactum. The school of learning for mages. Only the best and the brightest of those tuned into the arcane could study there. It was not a place you requested to study at, but rather, you were invited. It was a beacon of hope for all near Caldeum as a sign that the mage clans could unite under one peaceful banner. With all the demons and monsters roaming the wilderness, who needed humans battling other humans?

A boy, only ten years old, stood in the center of the great hall, where all the mage teachers sat, reviewing their new students. Their seats were elevated and positioned in a great circle around the space at which the child stood. His big, soft eyes nervously darted from one intimidating, hooded mage to another. None of them smiled. None of them spoke pleasantries. Rather, they spoke frankly to one another as if the child was not even present.

One elderly man spoke loudly before the rest. "This child shows little talent in the arcane, yet we are bound." He sighed loudly. "One of our own gave her word that this boy would be taught here, so he shall."

Another man, whose face was concealed by his oversized hood argued. "Yet, Isendra is not even here to defend her foolish promise?" He looked around at the other elders before his eyes bore into the shaking child in the center of the massive room. "What need have we to keep her word for her?" He scoffed. "What does this child have to offer us?"

"We are mages." The first man, who seemed to be the leader of the elders, spoke again. "Whether or not Isendra's promise was foolish is of no consequence. Her word is our word. The boy studies here." His features relaxed a bit. "Besides, if you'd done your research, you'd know exactly what we're getting out of this."

"And what's that?" The man didn't sound convinced.

"This boy has a younger sister. Her power seems to rival even Isendra's." A smirk crossed his mouth. "Consider this boy the price for the sister."

"Isendra sure knows how to pick them." The other man chuckled humorlessly.

A third man spoke up. "Isendra's picks only bring doom." He looked nervously at the boy. "I hope we don't have another headache of a student like Li-Ming on our hands." He looked at his fellow elders. "Any more like her and the sanctum will surely not endure."

The boy stood in the center, eagerly waiting his opportunity to leave the presence of these men and return to the side of his little sister. He watched with worry as the elders proceeded to discuss things amongst themselves in hushed voices, as if they worried about this young child overhearing them.

After what felt like hours, but was in reality just a few short minutes, the elders addressed the boy. "Fan-Huang." The boy looked with terrified eyes at the old man speaking. He could think of nothing more he wanted than to be home with his parents and sister again. He wasn't even sure why he was here. Or even where here was. "By Grand Sorceress Isendra's word your parents were given an oath that you and your sister, Fan-Min, would be protected and taught here as a mage of the Yshari Sanctum. As mages, we are bound to our word, so despite your underwhelming potential in the powers of the arcane, we will be your shield and your education. You will do as you are told and your loyalty will be to nothing but the order of the Yshari Sanctum mages until the day you die." The head elder's face loosened into what almost resembled a smile. "Congratulations, boy. You are officially a mage."

Fan-Huang wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. He said what he wasn't really feeling, but it seemed to be the appropriate thing to end the conversation. "Thank you." His young, boyish voice echoed through the massive room.

"You may move into your quarters now." The elder instructed. "Follow the wisp." On cue, a small red orb floated near Fan-Huang's head. It emitted a pale red glow and began leading him out of the great hall and down narrow corridors. On both sides of him were walls lined with torches and various bookshelves. Despite the many libraries Fan-Huang knew were in the Sanctum just from his first arrival, it seems there still wasn't enough storage space for all the books and scrolls the Yshari had collected.

The wisp led him into the boys' quarters and stopped in front of an already occupied room. He walked in and found a room already made up for him. On one side of the room was his bed, a small plain one with a mage student's uniform lying on it. By the foot of the bed, against the wall of the tiny room were a small dresser and a mirror. In the center of the room, against the far wall was a window that looked into the inner courtyard where the sun shined down from the desert sky and brightened the quarters. On the opposite side of the room was an identical replica of his side of the room, only it belonged to his new roommate.

The wisp faded away and Fan-Huang sat on his bed and stared out the window. Where was Fan-Min? Was she going through the same introduction as he had? He longed to be beside her again.

His thoughts were interrupted as his new roommate returned. He was older, probably in his late teens. Fan-Huang had never had the opportunity to be around other boys. It was always just his sister and him. He wasn't sure exactly how to act. Fortunately, his roommate made the first move.

"Hello." It was a simple introduction, but somehow it made Fan-Huang feel so much more at ease. He couldn't handle any more of the uptight attitudes of the elders or the hushed secrets throughout the Sanctum. He hated the feeling of loneliness that accompanied him ever since he had arrived at the Sanctum and he was tired of the weight of all who wanted great things from him as a mage. Most of all, he hated being away from his little sister. Not because he thought she needed him. Quite the opposite, really. She was tough and independent. No, he needed her.

"Where's my sister?" Was all Fan-Huang could think to say.

The other boy laughed. Fan-Huang wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at his roommate. He was bigger than him. He was strong looking too. He wore just a loincloth and was wet like he just bathed. He was hairy and tall, but clearly young. He was intimidating, except that his face wore the calmest, most warming smile Fan-Huang had received in a long time. He addressed him in a kind, deep voice. "I don't know, little guy. I wish I did." He walked over to Fan-Huang and knelt in front of him. "She's probably with your family somewhere beyond the walls of the Yshari Sanctum."

"No, she's here." Fan-Huang whimpered. He just wanted his little sister back. "She's here like us."

"She's studying to be a mage?" He asked. "Under who? Do you know?"

Fan-Huang shook his head. "I just heard the old guys mention someone named Isendra a lot."

"Under Isendra?" He asked. "You and her must be powerful, then."

Fan-Huang just shrugged. "Where is she?"

"If she's here, then you'll see her again. But not now. During non-study times the boys and girls are separated." He gave Fan-Huang a reassuring smile. "But you'll see her." He placed a big hand on Fan-Huang's shoulder. "What's your name, anyway? My name is Kazur Tol."

"Fan-Huang."

"How old are you, Fan-Huang?"

"Ten."

"I'm 17." Kazur answered with a smile. "Tell you what. He stood up and threw his loincloth to the ground as he rummaged through his dresser, pulling out various articles of clothing. "I remember how scary it was when I first arrived here. You stick with me and I'll make sure you're okay."

Fan-Huang nodded his head. "Okay." Kazur dressed himself in complicated layers of eccentric, mystical looking garments. Once he was done he wore what looked like a long wizard's skirt from his waist down, another decorative cloth over the skirt that trailed on the ground, and a sash with tassels hanging from it, each with colored gems within their sockets. Over his stomach and chest he wore nothing except a golden amulet that nestled into his thick, dark chest hair, making it stand out quite a bit. On his arms, tied by sashes at his big biceps, were long pieces of fabric that acted as sleeves and hung to the ground, looking very ornate, but leaving his shoulders and hands exposed. His fingers were adorned by various rings of different designs and materials. He turned back to Fan-Huang and smiled. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The years went by slowly for Fan-Huang at the Yshari Sanctum, but for Fan-Min, time seemed to fly. It felt to her that the eight years had flown by before she could even blink twice. The studies were time-consuming and exhausting for Fan-Huang, but for Fan-Min they were nothing worth mentioning.

Fan-Huang sat in the still water in the bathhouse. It was another day of rigorous work and study. He had gotten up especially early to enjoy some alone time in the warm bath. As he relaxed, he could feel the sweat dripping down from his forehead. He stood up to cool off a bit and stood in front of the mirror. He had just turned 18 years old a couple weeks ago. He couldn't believe how much time had gone by since he had first arrived here. Eight whole years sure changed a person.

He looked at himself in the mirror. He was all grown up now, though he still never felt like it since he roomed with Kazur, the Sanctum's giant. The guy just never seemed to stop growing. Fan-Huang was relatively short, but not nearly as short as his sister. He had cut his hair short, despite it being highly frowned upon by the arcane society. He had done it with Kazur on a night full of frustration as he studied for a big exam. Kazur had agreed to do it with him just to help him vent his anger and refocus on his studies. Stupid acts of rebellion often helped one get through the frustrations of daily life at the Sanctum. It had worked, and they had both liked the look, so they kept it. Fan-Huang's brown hair was short and well-styled. He had a clean shaven face with no stubble, since it seemed to take a year to grow any. His eyes were a piercing blue. They were the most obvious clue to people that Fan-Huang and Fan-Min were siblings. They both had the same sharp blue eyes. His skin was a pale white and relatively hairless. He had begun working out with Kazur, so he had a decent muscle tone, especially in comparison to most the mages around the Sanctum. They rarely pulled themselves away from their books.

As Fan-Huang took a deep breath to cool down and prepare himself for a long day full of stress, he heard the unmistakable sound of bare feet approaching the bath on the stone floor. A familiar, deep voice echoed through the empty bath house.

"Kid?"

Fan-Huang didn't turn around. He knew that voice, and there was only one man on this earth that just called him Kid. It was Kazur. He didn't call him that because he was still a kid or because he didn't know his name. It was an affectionate nickname. Kazur had spent so much time as Fan-Huang essentially grew up under his parenting calling him "Kiddo" and then just "Kid" as he got older that "Kid" just stuck. Fan-Huang didn't mind. He actually kinda' liked it. His was a childhood void of affection from those around him, save Fan-Min, but her affection wasn't typical. She had a unique love to her.

Kazur crossed the bath house in few long strides and stood behind Fan-Huang in the mirror. He towered over the younger mage. Kazur, at 25 years old, stood at 6'11" which was in bold contrast to Fan-Huang's meager 5' 5" stature. His face was burdened by concern for his younger friend. "Are you alright?" His deep voice echoed quietly through the warm room.

Fan-Huang sighed. "Yeah." He answered as he turned to face his beloved friend. He felt the pangs of jealousy as he viewed Kazur's body. He was impressive in every way. He, like Fan-Huang, wore his dark, brown hair short and styled. He had a strong, masculine face with incredibly handsome features. He had perfect green eyes and permanent five-o'-clock shadow. His jawline was prominent and the girls swooned over it. His body was massive, covered in very impressive muscles that didn't escape anyone's notice. His chest was covered in thick, dark hair, like the rest of his body. His chest was wider that Fan-Huang's whole body, and then some. His abs stood out strongly. He made the Barbarians talked about from the Arreat Summit sound unimpressive, and Kazur was an arcane user! Everything about his body was big and intimidating.

Despite the jealousy that he often felt, Fan-Huang could never stop feeling grateful to Kazur. He had taken him under his wing when he was so young and had practically raised him and his little sister while at the Yshari Sanctum. He had no obligation to do so, but he had. He was his dearest friend.

"You sure, Kid?" Kazur placed a big hand on Fan-Huang's shoulder, just as he always had when he was a kid.

"Yup. Just a long day ahead of me."

Kazur smiled. "I'm sure." He stepped down into the hot bath and relaxed. "But you're going to be fine."

Fan-Huang followed Kazur and sat next to him. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I won't."

"And why not? Have I failed as a teacher?" Kazur asked, sounding unconvinced. He was, in fact, the only person that had any confidence in Fan-Huang's arcane abilities. The teachers didn't really invest in him because they were only interested in his sister. The only reason Fan-Huang had gotten as far as he had was because Kazur and Fan-Min had taken time out of their schedules to train him. It helped, but it was undeniable that his connection to the arcane was simply not as powerful as Kazur's or Fan-Min's.

"Not at all!" Fan-Huang blurted out in embarrassed defense of his friend. "That's not at all what I meant. You're a great teacher."

"Then what's the problem?"

"It's me. I'm just not as powerful as you."

"You don't need to be." Kazur placed a hand on his shoulder again. "You can't go comparing yourself to everyone around you. You may have less arcane power than others, but that doesn't make you weaker. There are plenty of people who don't have any arcane power that still carry with them impressive power. Consider the Barbarians of Harrogath. They have no arcane, but yet they are feared by all. Consider the Askari Amazons of the South Sea. They have no magic yet they are desired as mercenaries above all others. They're no different than you."

"I'm not strong like them. You're strong. Probably stronger than a Barbarian. I'm not. I'm not even as smart as you. I've got nothing." Fan-Huang's head sank. "Today my challenge opponent is Fan-Min. There's no way I can beat her. People compare her to Li-Ming. And you know she won't hold back."

Kazur laughed. "No way that girl will hold back." He laughed some more. "But seriously. You're selling yourself short. You've got something that not everyone else has."

"And what's that?" Fan-Huang asked.

"I know what it is. But I think you need to discover it for yourself." He smiled down at Fan-Huang. "Just know, Kid. You've always got me backing you up."

Fan-Huang looked up at his large, loyal friend. He hadn't words to express how much he appreciated his gigantic brother. "I know. And, Kazur…"

"I know. You don't gotta' say it. I've never doubted that you have my back too. The thought brings me peace every day." Kazur placed an arm around Fan-Huang and pulled him in tightly. "You're gonna' be fine today. It's just a test, nothing more."

Those words seemed like a good closing to the awkwardly intimate moment he was sharing with Kazur, so Fan-Huang stood up and placed his loincloth on and headed out.

"Wait up, Kid." Kazur stood to his full height, still taller than Fan-Huang even as he stood steps above him. "I'll come with you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

There she was. Standing opposite him in the arcane circle, awaiting the signal to begin the challenge. They were both advanced enough in their studies that the most practical education they could now receive was sparring against their peers.

No one ever wanted to spar against Fan-Min. She was unreal as a sorceress. Her arcane power rivalled even that of Li-Ming, and therefore, also the very elders of the Yshari Sactum. Her power was so great that even legends like Isendra and Tal Rasha were not outside of her realm. She made her peers look like untrained children.

She stood looking at her older brother. Her face was beautiful. Her pale, white skin was bold against the outline of her long, dark-brown hair that cascaded down the sides of her face and over her shoulders. It blew elegantly in the wind. Her fierce blue eyes were anything but welcoming. She had locked onto her prey and she was going to demolish him.

Fan-Huang was less focused. He didn't take arcane as seriously as his younger sister. Despite her short stature of 5'2", she was a force to be reckoned with. She cared deeply about being as great as Li-Ming. Fan-Huang only cared about being close to his little sister, and now, his older brother, Kazur. He looked to his peers watching. Kazur was there in his strange, but yet elegant arcane equipment, his golden amulet reflecting brightly from the sun while nestled in his dark chest hair. His face was warm and encouraging. He gave Fan-Huang a goofy, un-ceremonial thumbs-up. Fan-Huang just smiled back nervously.

His attention went back to his little sister. She wore the same arcane equipment as he did, though, the female fit of it. They both wore typical mage robes designed to mystically charge their arcane power, granting them more mana to prolong their casting abilities. Her small body was totally enveloped in black and purple robes layered with veil-like cloth that flowed as hauntingly in the wind as her dark-brown hair. In her hand was an ornate, golden eagle orb, a weapon specifically designed for arcane users.

Fan-Huang raised his own weapon in his hand. He carried nothing more than an enchanted book. The book was relatively heavy, but it was worth carrying around. The mages that enchanted it were far more powerful than he, and had made the book so that the carrier knew all the spells within it simply by touching it and could unleash them with very little effort of his own. The book practically did it all. Fan-Min had given him the book to help him with his arcane abilities. It was one of the ways she showed her care for him.

The loud horn echoed across the open space of the Yshari Sanctum's training courtyard. Instantly, magical bubbles appeared in the air, small, purple, and moving wildly around the arcane circle's area. Their peers watched as both of the arcane students being tested began vigorously launching arcane spells at each bubble, trying to be the student who hit and destroyed the most bubbles.

Fan-Huang decided to use a simple arcane bolt because of its quick launch speed and light mana consumption. He hit one. He hit another. He launched bolt after bolt and kept hitting and destroying the bubbles. He was actually doing it! He felt so charged from the excitement of his success. He looked at his sister and was immediately deflated.

She was also launching arcane bolts, but she was on a whole different level. She was launching five arcane bolts at a time, each traveling and hitting a different bubble. There was no way for him to catch her. In just a few dozen seconds, they had erased every last bubble from the area. She had won.

They immediately went onto the second challenge. The instructor created two large cubes of solid arcane energy. The students were to launch their most powerful and controlled attacks at the cube. While the first challenge focused on agility, accuracy, and the ability to think and cast spells quickly, this second challenge focused on raw arcane power and the caster's ability to control a spell of great destructive power.

Fan-Min immediately took the lead. While Fan-Huang began launching arcane orbs, swirling purple orbs of concentrated arcane energy that would explode on contact, at the cube, one after another, Fan-Min took a better approach. It was an approach Fan-Huang could not imitate.

Her eyes turned a glowing purple and her feet planted into the ground as her hands, then pressed together pointing away from her body and toward the cube, shot out a large stream of flaring, crackling, raw, arcane energy. Fan-Huang knew the spell. It was a spell that Li-Ming had coined. It was called Disintegrate. The arcane energy that was shot out simply destroyed anything in its path. It was incredibly dangerous, difficult to control, and drained the user's mana very quickly. However, Fan-Min seemed to be casting it with ease.

It just moments, Fan-Min's cube was completely vanquished, while Fan-Huang's was simply cracked. He had done damage to it, but nothing like Fan-Min had done.

Finally, it was the last challenge, the one everyone was waiting for. They fought against each other. Only non-lethal spells were allowed, and they had a healer standing by for after the battle. Fan-Huang looked nervously at his baby sister. She had an iron-will and it showed. Her steely gaze bore into him as a cocky smirk crossed her lips. She had already won. The whole battle had already played out in her head and she had won. The horn went off and it was just as she had known. Fan-Huang took a step to the side to try to dodge whatever spell she would lead off with. At the same time, he launched a cloud of freezing magic at her to stop her in her tracks, but she knew it was coming. She danced around it with angelic grace and launched at him a wall of fire burning hotter than Hell. The fire engulfed Fan-Huang and the match was called.

Fan-Min had won, but somehow, Fan-Huang had walked off the arcane circle without sustaining any damage. He looked at his sister with confusion. She just winked at him with a cocky smile. The instructor stepped forward.

"Great work, Fan-Min." The instructor said. "We can all tell that you're keeping up with your studies."

Fan-Min laughed haughtily. "Please." She said sarcastically. "I have no need for studying. The challenges of the Yshari Sanctum are merely the games of children. I haven't broken a sweat since the day I was brought here."

The instructor stood speechless as Fan-Min's peers began rolling their eyes as she went into another one of her stuck-up monologues about how great she was. Fan-Huang tuned her out as he sulked over to Kazur.

"I told you I'd lose."

"But you did well!" His friend encouraged him. "No one else would have lasted any longer than you did against her."

"You would have." Fan-Huang said with a smirk across his mouth.

"Well, I've been here longer than those in your level have." Kazur admitted. "But even so, I'd not beat her. She's a prodigy unlike I've seen since Li-Ming."

"I guess. What I don't understand is how I'm not burnt. I could feel those flames as they came at me. Those were the fires of Hell."

Kazur laughed. "She's your little sister, Kid. She's not going to hurt you. She'd certainly never hold back, but that doesn't mean she'd hurt you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she did something even more impressive than hurt you."

"So she just showed off more." Fan-Huang laughed, not entirely knowing yet what had happened.

"Just before the flames hit you, she had casted a protective shield around you. It protected you from the flame, but left you at her whim. You were defeated without even being hurt."

"At least not physically. There's my pride, you know." Fan-Huang laughed. Despite his humiliation in front of his peers, He was both impressed and proud of his little sister. She was amazing.

Once all of Fan-Huang's peers had finished their tests, Fan-Min made her way over to him and Kazur. No one in the courtyard could miss that she had just obliterated her classmates in the challenges simply by the proud sway of her hips in her stride. "Hey guys!" She said through a bold grin.

"Hey, Min." Kazur smiled. "Great work."

"Seriously, it was nothing." She oozed confidence.

"It definitely looked like something." Kazur praised her. She loved that. Her smiled broadened. Her attention shifted to her older brother.

"You did really well today." She started. "For you, I mean. If I did like you I'd probably never show my face here again." She patted her brother on the shoulder with genuine intention. This was as close to a truly kind compliment anyone would ever get out of Fan-Min.

"Thanks, Sis." He addressed both Kazur and Fan-Min. "I only made it this far thanks to you two."

Kazur and Fan-Min spoke at the same time, but their words in bold contrast.

"Nah, you did this all yourself." Kazur said.

"No kidding. Without us you'd probably be dead already." Fan-Min spoke with a snarky giggle.

Fan-Huang laughed at the polar opposite personalities his two closest confidantes had. Fan-Min ran her hand through her hair, which very obviously caught the eye of Kazur. It was quite apparent to Fan-Huang that Kazur had a crush on his sister, but he wasn't sure Fan-Min knew. She wasn't an idiot, so it was possible she was aware, but at the same time, she wasn't at all focused on sentimental things like that. Her attention was always entirely on two things: arcane power and Li-Ming. So it was possible his romantic interest in her went on totally unbeknownst to her.

Fan-Huang couldn't blame his friend. Fan-Min was intelligent, strong, and gorgeous. He didn't have a problem with the idea of his sister and best friend being together, but the mental image of them made him laugh. After all, Fan-Huang only stood at Kazur's chest. Fan-Min was even shorter. She didn't even reach his chest! Them standing next to each other looked like a father with his little daughter.

The instructor yelling brought Fan-Huang out of his thoughts. "Kazur, get over here! You're up!" Apparently, the higher level arcane students were taking their turn at sparring.

"Sorry, Kid. Gotta' run." Kazur said as he ran toward the arcane circle.

"We'll be watching." Fan-Huang said with a smile.

Fan-Min sighed. "Not that there's anything impressive to see. I'm done. The show's already over."

"I know, but we can still support him."

"Right. 'Cuz that makes a difference in a fight."

"Whatever." Fan-Huang laughed silently to himself. He knew that underneath her bad attitude and narcissism, Fan-Min did truly care about him and Kazur. However, he wasn't so sure of her concern for the rest of the world. Being stuck in the Yshari Sanctum didn't really give any of them a chance to have any attachment to the world as a whole. Their life was the walls of the Yshari Sanctum.

Kazur's challenge was a simple one for him and amazed the other students. He specialized in premonition arcana. He could use his arcane power to actually see the future. This made the first challenge easy. He followed in Fan-Huang's footsteps and launched arcane bolts at the bubbles, but he never missed because he could see where they were going to be before they were even there.

The second challenge was not as easy for him, but he still won. While his opponent used traditional means to destroy the arcane cube: arcane orbs, Kazur took a less traditional path. Kazur focused his arcane power into his body and charged the cube, ramming his body into it hard, and then proceeded to break it apart by punching it repeatedly. It was an arcane fighting style that only someone as large and tough as he was could pull off. He had pulverized the cube within minutes, which was arguably unimpressive next to Fan-Min, but next to the average student, it was very impressive.

The final challenge was barely a real fight. The opponent couldn't even hit Kazur because he always knew where the attack was coming from and what it would be. Kazur had him pinned on the ground in a few quick moves. Kazur was impressive in these one-on-one fights, but he always told Fan-Huang that he'd be less useful in a prolonged battle because the premonition arcana took so much of his mana so quickly. He'd be exhausted far too early in a battle to be of any real use.

He returned to his friends who greeted him with praise. "Great job!" Fan-Huang said through a big smile. "That was as awesome as always!"

"Thanks, Kid!" Kazur said enveloping him in a large bear-hug.

"It was fine." Fan-Min said flatly. "Brutish and unappealing, but it got the job done." Kazur smiled and pulled Fan-Min into the big hug. Her face scrunched up. "You are covered in sweat." She made an audible gag. "And you smell."

"You like it." Kazur joked.

"I'd rather sniff the bile upchucked by a wretched mother."

"Mhmm." Kazur said as he gave them one last tight squeeze before releasing them. "I guess I'll go clean up, if I really stink _that_ badly."

"You do." Fan-Min informed him matter-of-factly.

"Another long day done with." Fan-Huang sighed with relief."

"You said it, Kid." Kazur agreed.

"If you call these days long." Fan-Min stated. "It's all a giant waste of time if you ask me."

"You're just too smart for your own good, Sis."

"That's impossible." She said with a smirk. "Even Li-Ming has more to learn."

"You really respect her. Don't you?" Kazur asked.

"Yes. She's what I think a real arcane user should aspire to be like." Fan-Min's eyes seemed to brighten at the thought. "I'm going to be like her. I'm going to somehow get her attention so that she'll teach me. The stuff they teach us here is child's stuff."

"Right." Fan-Huang brushed her off. "Let's just focus on getting our studies done tonight. Meet in the library after dinner?"

"Sure thing!" Kazur agreed even though he was studying more advanced material in a totally different arcane area than Fan-Huang.

"Whatever." Fan-Min said.

"You're coming, right Min?" Kazur asked.

She sighed. "I'll be there."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Studying was as boring as Fan-Min expected it to be. There was nothing in her spellbooks or scrolls that she didn't already know. The arcane just seemed to be second-nature for her.

Fan-Huang, however, had a very different experience every evening in the library. He read through the texts that his teachers gave him and found that very little of it actually made much sense.

The evening went by with Fan-Huang sighing endlessly as he struggled to grasp the intricate spellweaving it took to craft spells like the top-class arcane users crafted. It made him feel rather useless. He sighed again.

"Would you please stop that." Fan-Min snarled. She was short-tempered naturally. Placing her in a library to study that which she already understood and thought to be a waste of time only shortened her fuse even more.

"Sorry." Fan-Huang sighed. Fan-Min's eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. "I just don't understand this stuff."

"Like I always say, you really have no business studying here. You're not cut out to be a sorcerer."

"Maybe you're right." Fan-Huang agreed.

Kazur dropped his book. "Hold on, now. Let's not jump to overly self-deprivating conclusions." Kazur looked back and forth between the young siblings with disappointment. "Just because you're a natural at this doesn't mean you don't benefit from some studying." Fan-Min rolled her eyes. "And just because it doesn't all make sense to you right away doesn't mean you don't belong here. Look how far you've come from when you first got here, Kid."

"Yeah, but none of this is making any sense." Fan-Huang wallowed.

"Come here." Kazur patted the table next to him. Fan-Huang scooted his chair over next to his giant friend. "What are you studying?"

Fan-Huang tried to explain that he was studying the spellweaving behind the arcane art "Nova", a lightning spell that sends out a wave of highly focused electrical energy in a circle from the caster. However, Fan-Huang couldn't begin to understand how anyone understood these stupid scrolls, or even more, how Isendra could apparently cast these spells in an instant, with no apparent difficulty. Some people had all the talent.

"Ah, elemental spells are tricky." Kazur began. "That's why they start you on plain arcane abilities here. It's more basic. Once you start adding natural elements into a spell, the spellweaving gets much more complicated." Kazur spent the entire evening devoting his time to tutoring Fan-Huang on elemental spells. Fan-Min spent her time watching everyone else in the library. She couldn't help but look down at them. They all struggled so hard and not one of them even came close to her talent level, not to mention the talent level of Li-Ming, Tal Rasha, or Isendra.

As night came, Kazur and Fan-Huang settled into their dorm. Kazur removed his clothing and climbed into bed. "Are you staying up?" He asked as he settled in.

"Yeah." Fan-Huang said as he removed his shirt and settled onto his bed. "I'm gonna' study on this elemental stuff a bit more."

"Suit yourself, Kid." Kazur sighed and rested his head on his pillow. "But I really think it'll make more sense if you just sleep on it."

"Maybe I'll go ask Fan-Min for help."

"Don't let the teachers or guards catch you." Kazur warned with little investment.

"Yeah, yeah..." Fan-Huang said as he gathered his stuff up and headed out the door.

The night was a quiet one, as most were at the isolated Yshari Sanctum, totally secluded in the desert beyond Caldeum. He snuck through the courtyard that separated the male dorms from the female dorms and marveled at how bright the moon was in the open night sky. It illuminated the courtyard well enough that Fan-Huang had absolutely no trouble seeing in the dark.

He crept through the female dorms to his sister's room. She lived alone because none of the other girls wanted to room with her. They described her as a "stuck up menace to the Yshari Sanctum". Fan-Huang laughed at the thought. He couldn't argue with the girls. Fan-Min certainly didn't waste any breath on pleasantries. Rather, she'd be more inclined to insult you until she was blue in the face.

When he arrived at her door, he gave the secret knock that he always used to let her know it was him. After just a few seconds the door opened just a crack. Fan-Huang pressed it open the rest of the way to find his sister totally dressed in her arcane robes and packing.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

"I'm leaving." She said plainly.

"What?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Where would she leave to? They were in the middle of the desert. There were rumors of demons everywhere with the lesser evils wreaking havoc on the lands. Why would she want to leave?

"I'm not learning anything here. I'm wasting my life." She explained in a frustrated voice. "I need to find Li-Ming. I need to be taught by someone capable of challenging me. I need to be the most powerful arcane user in the land."

"You need to be?"

"Yes." She hissed. Fan-Huang knew she was serious, despite it sounding ludicrous. However, he knew that she had a chance at being at least, one of the most powerful sorceresses known.

"But if you leave before graduation you won't be assigned a faction." He explained.

"So?"

"So?" Fan-Huang gasped like she was being unreasonable. "That means you'd be labeled a renegade wizard!"

"Keep you voice down!" Fan-Min shushed him with a glare.

"Being a renegade wizard is as bad as being a demon in the eyes of the Yshari Sanctum!"

"Yeah, and most the rest of the world too." Fan-Min apparently knew exactly what she was doing. "That didn't stop Li-Ming."

"You're not Li-Ming."

"That's the problem." Fan-Min snarled. "I'm trapped here like some prisoner. I want to be out like Li-Ming. I want to be powerful. I want to be free to use my magic as I choose."

"Li-Ming is hunted by the Yshari Sanctum."

"She's also saving lives from the likes of demons."

"Is that what you think you're going to do?" Fan-Huang couldn't picture his sister fighting for the good of the weak. She'd sooner step on the weak to reach whatever lofty goal she set for herself.

"And why not?" Fan-Min asked. "It's not like I'm entirely heartless. I didn't burn you earlier when I could have, did I?"

"Well, no..."

"Then why can't I save people?" She raised a good question.

"Because..." He had no good reason. He just couldn't imagine living at the Sanctum without Fan-Min. She was the only blood-family he had. She couldn't leave. "Because I need you here."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do." Fan-Haung said again.

"Kazur can teach you just as well as I can. You're stuck on children's magic. Anyone could teach it to you."

"It's not that I need you to teach me." He walked up to his sister and grabbed her hand. "You're my little sister. You're my only family. I need you. What would I have without you?"

"Kazur." Fan-Min said plainly. "He loves you. You're like his little brother."

"And you're my little sister."

"And as your little sister, I'm leaving. You can either come with me, or stay behind." Fan-Min tightened up her packed bag and looked her older brother in the eyes. "I'm not staying here."

Fan-Huang looked at her determined eyes. "That's your choice?" He asked. "I can't talk you out of it?"

"Come with me."

He sighed. He hated this. Why couldn't he just stay here? With Fan-Min and Kazur. But he couldn't leave his sister. She needed him, just like he needed her, whether she knew it or not. "Fine. Let me pack my bags."

"Fine, but hurry." She instructed. He turned for the door. "And don't tell anyone!" He ran to his room and got dressed in his arcane robes. Kazur lay sprawled out on his bed, snoring like a sleeping giant. Fan-Huang looked at him affectionately. He was going to miss him. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving him without even saying goodbye.

He quickly pulled out a blank scroll and pen and wrote out a quick explanation of what was going on. He told him how much he loved him and hated to leave him, but he needed to watch over his sister or she would certainly mouth-off to the wrong person and find herself in a lot of trouble.

When he was done, he finished packing and placed the note lightly on Kazur's large chest. He knew Kazur would find it and he figured he wouldn't take it well. Actually, Fan-Huang was hoping he wouldn't. In his heart, he yearned for Kazur to follow him, to find him and Fan-Min, and continue to mentor them as their older brother.

With a sigh, he returned to Fan-Min. Together, they snuck to the front gate. It was not difficult for Fan-Min to silently subdue the two guards keeping watch. Her magical abilities were beyond impressive, especially for someone as young as her.

Together they stood outside the front gate and looked out into the bare desert. The sands rolled off the dunes and large bones resting across the landscape. The horrifying growls and screams of demons and prey echoed through the wind. Fan-Huang looked back at the inner cloister of the Yshari Sanctum and felt his heart pound rapidly in his chest. This was it. He was leaving and entering into a world he had only heard terrifying stories of. All of it while leaving his newfound older brother behind. He glanced over at Fan-Min. She stared out to the desert, not once looking back, wearing an eager smirk on her lips. She was ready. Fan-Huang was not so sure of himself.

Without a word, they ventured out. As they walked into the night, the sands covered their footprints hastily, leaving no trace that the two renegade wizards had ever passed through.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The desert was hot and relentless. The winds never ceased kicking sand into the young renegade wizards' faces and threatening to throw their arcane robes right off their backs. With their hands placed before their eyes, shielding them from the hurled sands, the siblings marched toward the often-spoken-of Caldeum. They only hoped the stories of its locations that were told in the Sanctum were accurate and true.

The moon was bright in the sky making it rather easy for them to see their way. Despite his eyes telling him they were alone in the desert, Fan-Huang couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, or worse, followed. He couldn't be sure, but Fan-Min seemed to be on edge, so maybe she had the same feeling.

They continued their trek over the shifting sands. It wasn't long before they both were panting from exhaustion. It was tiring traveling through the desert. Each step was an added effort from a normal walk as they had to balance themselves as the sands moved right beneath their soles.

Finally, Fan-Huang couldn't take the awful feeling anymore. Something was out there, and it was watching them. "Hey Sis..." She turned back to look at him. "Do you get the feeling we're being watched?"

Fan-Min smirked at her older brother. "We are being followed."

"What?!" Fan-Huang said in a panic. "By what?"

"Some demon, I would assume." she explained. "Nothing to be worried about. I can take it."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm me." She said with a roll of her eyes. "I can handle whatever Hell wants to throw at me." She turned back to walking and then quickly looked back over her shoulder. "I mean us."

"Right..."

They marched all night. Fan-Huang marched with his tongue hanging out of his mouth like a dog. He had never been so thirsty in his life. The Yshari Sanctum always provided more than they needed as far as food and drink were concerned. He still wasn't sure why Fan-Min couldn't have been content there.

The sun crept into the sky as the siblings' march inevitably began slowing. They were running out of steam. Finally, Fan-Huang spoke up. "Sis, I gotta' take a break. I'm exhausted."

"Fine. I'm parched, myself." She agreed. Together, they found a large rock in the middle of the scorching sands and rested under the minimal shade it offered.

Fan-Min smirked and then chuckled a bit to herself. Something had hit her as funny in this miserable situation.

"What's so funny?" Fan-Huang asked.

"Nothing." She giggled a bit. "I was just thinking about the Yshari Sanctum. They're probably all waking up now and realizing we're gone." She laughed a bit. "Can't you just picture them scrambling about looking for us?"

"I can..." Fan-Huang said in slow words, unsure of how this was funny. "The thought terrifies me a bit."

"Why?" She laughed some more. "It's not like they'll actually find us."

"You don't know that. We're officially renegade wizards the moment they realize we're gone. Then we're as good as demons to them."

"Speaking of demons..." Fan-Min's smirk changed from one of humor to one of anticipation.

"What?"

"It's here."

Her words lingered in the air as Fan-Huang listened intently for any sign of this "It". The wind howled loudly making it very difficult to hear anything other than the cruel desert. In his paralyzing fear of a present demon, he could hear something faint. It wasn't friendly. It sounded like a growl.

"Run!" Fan-Min shouted as she leaped to her feet and ran into the desert toward Caldeum's fabled location. Fan-Huang didn't hesitate. The sight of his all-powerful sister on the run prompted him to action unlike anything else ever had.

They ran hard and fast, as if their bodies had totally forgotten that they were exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated. It was just mere minutes and their predator was upon them. Though, Fan-Min didn't see it as a predator. She saw it as prey.

It jumped out of the sand like a shark out of the water. Fan-Min ceased her sprint and prepared herself for mortal combat. "I knew it." She proudly announced to no one in particular. She licked her lips with anticipation as the battle opened.

"What is it?" Fan-Huang shouted. The creature was terrifying. It had the body of a shark, only it looked more like it was made out of stone, and in the front it had two clawed arms that it used to drag itself across land when it wasn't using its hind fin to swim in the sands. Across its back were sharp, spiked dorsal fins and its teeth were as sharp as anyone could imagine.

He knew he'd seen sketches of it in one of the monster compendiums in the Sanctum, but his memory wasn't that great.

"It's a Dune Shark." Fan-Min said. "Be careful. It'll tear you apart."

"Weakness?"

"Anything but fire or lightning." She explained as she unleashed her first assault. Large arcane orbs blasted toward the shark as it charged at her, pulling itself across the top of the sands with its clawed hands. The orbs crashed into it, blasting the life right out of it, but the fight wasn't over.

More Dune Sharks emerged from the sands, all eager to devour the young siblings. Fan-Huang screamed and locked up. Just as one of the demonic creatures was about to take a chunk out of his leg, he was pushed to the ground by Fan-Min's arcane force, saving his limbs.

"Wake up!" She hollered. "You need to fight!"

He knew she was right. He focused himself and pulled out the spellbook she had given him. Alongside his little sister, he began launching his arcane missiles. They didn't kill the creatures as effectively as Fan-Min's arcane orbs did, but it at least did some damage. He wasn't sure he could hope for much more than that.

As he continued to launch his minor spells at the swarming creatures, he caught a glance of Fan-Min. She was terrifying. She was standing on the gore of the blown-apart bodies of Dune Sharks as she laughed, launching her powerful Disintegrate spell. The Dune Sharks didn't stand a chance. They were all eradicated. Fan-Huang ducked on the ground for cover, in case his insane sister accidentally hit him.

When the bright red arcane glow of her spell finally faded away and the sand and blood settled to the ground, Fan-Huang was left standing in an empty desert. The bodies of the Dune Sharks had been totally burned away to nothing. All that remained as evidence of the fight was some blood on the sand, which was quickly being blown away by the wind.

Fan-Huang collapsed to the floor. He had never been so terrified in his life. The whole fighting thing wasn't his cup of tea. He watched his sister, who seemed to be totally in her comfort zone, as she reveled in the post-battle adrenaline rush. It looked like she had found her new calling: renegade wizard and demon hunter.

He breathed out heavily. His sister sat beside him. "Wasn't that fun!?" She said with glee.

"No." Fan-Huang confessed. "That was horrible."

She sighed. "Buckle up, big brother. This is just the beginning."

"Why's that?"

"We haven't found Li-Ming yet. Nor is killing some measly Dune Sharks going to get her attention. We gotta' hunt bigger prey than this."

"Let's just get to Caldeum first. Okay?"

"Okay." She said with a genuine smile. "I really am glad you came with me. None of this would be as impressive if there wasn't someone to witness me."

"Right..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Caldeum was unlike anything the siblings had seen before. While the Yshari Sanctum had been quiet and orderly, Caldeum was loud and energetic. People were everywhere doing everything. Buildings were packed so tightly within the thick walls of the city and every free space in the walkways were lined with vendors advertising their goods. The stench of human sweat was prominent within the walls, but at least the blinding sand being thrown about by the desert sands was buffered.

"It stinks here." Fan-Min complained through a disgusted face. "It smells like Kazur after his training sessions." The mention of him made Fan-Huang's head hang a little lower. He missed him so much and it hadn't even been a full day. He regretted the manner by which he left. He pictured his best friend waking up to find a good-bye note left behind in place of a real farewell. Kazur had invested so much time into him and he had ditched him like he didn't matter. He snapped out of his thoughts as his sister smacked him on the arm. "What are you sulking about?" She asked haughtily. "Isn't it great to be free?" She smiled in excitement. "I've wanted this for so long."

"I'm happy for you." Fan-Huang answered, genuinely meaning it, but it didn't make his sadness leave. Kazur had become a very important part of his life and he was gone now. Likely forever.

"Then why do you seem so gloomy?" She asked absently as she marched through the city.

"I miss Kazur."

"You could have stayed behind."

"You're my sister."

"I didn't ask you to come." She stopped and looked at her older brother. "You'll just slow me down anyway. I'm chasing the greatest wizard ever known to the human race: Li-Ming. It's going to be dangerous. You're not strong, so now I have to watch my back and yours."

"I'll watch your back." Fan-Huang assured her.

"Forgive me if that doesn't instill any relief within me." She nearly laughed. "Just because you're not with Kazur now doesn't mean you won't see him again."

"It feels like good-bye forever." Fan-Huang sounded quite depressed.

"Kazur's an idiot." Fan-Min said plainly. "He's simple and single-minded." She explained. "If you really mean as much to him as he does to you, you'll see him again." She shook her head in disbelief. "Besides, I doubt you actually left without letting him know somehow, so he's probably on his way here right now." Fan-Huang blushed embarrassed. She knew him too well. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"I left him a note."

"See?" Fan-Min smiled shallowly. "You'll see him again."

There was a moment of silence between them before Fan-Min continued her trek through the streets of Caldeum. Finally, Fan-Huang caught up with her and asked, "Are you really upset that I came with you?"

She looked at him in the eyes and laughed. "Of course not. I already told you; none of this would be impressive if there wasn't someone to witness me." She looked back to the streets ahead of her. "Just don't get yourself killed."

Finally, they settled into a tavern near the front gate of the royal palace. Fan-Min cringed at the sight of the big sweaty men drinking and making a ruckus as women with far too little self-respect threw themselves at them. "Barbarians." She spat the word.

"Have something against Barbarians?" A large man asked her from the table right to her left. Fan-Huang jumped between them in defense of his sister.

"Oh, no, no, sir. She meant no disrespect to Barbarians. They're a fine race of people and we have nothing against them." He groveled trying to ensure that the large muscled man didn't take too much offense at his sister's venomous tongue.

"Step aside, Huang." She commanded and stood before her brother. "I meant every disrespect to the Barbarians. They're like animals." She mocked. "They're as bad as the demon hunters and the witch doctors." She held her ground confidently as the giant of a man stood up, clearly angry with her words. "They're all so brutish and uncivilized. They're hardly better than the beasts they put down." Her words were clearly meant to rile the man up, and they did their job.

"I'm from a family of Barbarians!" The man yelled, drawing the attention of everyone else in the tavern.

"I can tell." Fan-Min mocked. The man charged her with a battle cry in an attempt to tackle her to the ground, but he had clearly had a few drinks too many for competency in combat. "Child's play." She spoke to herself in disappointment. With grace, Fan-Min stepped to the side and watched as the man stumbled passed her and latched onto her big brother, taking him to the ground hard under his immense Barbarian weight.

Fan-Huang landed hard on the stone floor and got the wind knocked out of him. "Nice one." He coughed to his sister. She stepped forward and placed a heeled foot on the Barbarian's back. With violent arcane energy crackling in her hand, emitting a threatening glow, and a face that left no one unconvinced of her willingness to kill, she spoke boldly to the large man. "Get off my brother. Now!"

The man didn't argue. Rather, he rolled off of Fan-Huang and sulked out of the tavern, too embarrassed to face the crowd in the moment. Fan-Min pivoted on her heel, her brown, silk-like hair flipping gracefully through the post-battle air, and headed to the tavern keeper's counter toward the back of the crowded room. Fan-Huang stood up as he listened to the startled and hushed words of the spectators. "I've never seen a sorceress act so violently." One lady said.

Fan-Huang listened in on another man who was in shock. "Did she start the fight? I wouldn't think the Yshari Sanctum would allow such behavior?!"

"Great, another threat befalls Caldeum."

"I wish she'd go to New Tristram." One young lady commented to another. "My sister and her family are there and they sent word that they're having demon trouble."

"Maybe that settlement is really cursed." The other woman added. "First Old Tristram fell to Diablo, now it seems to be happening all over again. They never should have rebuilt."

"Problems at New Tristram?" Fan-Huang wondered to himself. "Maybe we could put Fan-Min's powers to use."

He approached his sister who was talking with the tavern runner. "What do you mean you haven't heard of Li-Ming?" She asked appalled at her discovery. "That means she must not have been here?"

"No, it means I don't know her. She could have been here." The tavern runner answered with a shrug.

"You're useless." Fan-Min hissed. "Who would know?"

"I'm not sure, but you could ask Squirt."

"Squirt?" Fan-Min sounded furious. Fan-Huang restrained himself from jumping in to defend the tavern runner, but he knew his sister was scary. Especially if you knew really how powerful she was and how eager she was to use her powers.

"She's a peddler. She usually hangs around the entrance to the royal palace near the dye seller."

"This sounds ridiculous. Someone named Squirt." Fan-Min huffed. "You better not be lying to me."

"It's the truth." He assured her in a panic. "Honest!"

"Fine." She glared at him. "Just know I can kill you with no effort if I find out you're a liar." He looked at her wide-eyed and scared. She turned on her heel proudly. "Come on, brother."

Fan-Min and Fan-Huang made their way to the front gates of the royal palace where a handful of bold merchants were selling their goods despite the royal guards having a heavy presence in the area. It must not have bothered the emperor to have the sellers there. Against his better knowledge, Fan-Huang pointed to one merchant that stood out in obvious contrast to the others. Most were colorfully dressed men with wagons of cargo for sale. They were shouting to draw in shoppers. This one, however, was nothing like that. She was a young girl, probably no older than 12, and she had a meager selection, but Fan-Huang could tell, even by his unimpressive understanding of the arcane, that her products were of great value and very powerful in the hands of the right user. "That must be her." He said with his finger extended toward the young girl.

"A child?" Fan-Min scoffed. "You're kidding me."

"Squirt." Fan-Huang shrugged. "Fits her, don't you think?"

"Unfortunately."

Together, they marched up to the young peddler. She looked at them like potential customers. She had good eyes. Most people that walked by she didn't even bother trying to sell her goods to because they'd have no use for them. Only those practiced in the arcane arts would understand the value of her merchandise, and she could tell by their mystical garb that they were indeed trained in the arcane. "Have a look!" She insisted in her child voice.

"We're not here to shop." Fan-Min said, almost sounding like a threat. "I have no need for your silly trinkets."

"They're not trinkets, my lady." She remained pleasant and professional. "These are arcane objects fit to assist even the most powerful sorceress in her needs."

"While you are right in identifying me as the most powerful, a sorceress I am not." Fan-Min explained proudly. "And I certainly have no need for your goods. I am powerful enough as I am."

"If not a sorceress, what are you?" Squirt looked the young lady up and down. "You dress like one."

"I am a wizard." She stated.

"From which clan?" Squirt asked, showing a much deeper understanding of the world than either wizard was expecting.

"None."

"You're a renegade wizard?" She sounded shocked, but unafraid.

"Yes."

"Don't say it so loudly!" Fan-Huang insisted. "People are probably already looking for us."

"Is this coward also a renegade wizard?" Squirt asked.

Fan-Min looked at her brother in an unimpressed nature. "I suppose, if you have a very underwhelming definition of 'wizard'."

"I see." Squirt said. "Then, if you're not here to shop, you must be here for information."

"Correct." Fan-Min answered very directly.

"About another renegade wizard?"

"How do you know that?" Fan-Huang asked, obviously impressed by the girl's intuition.

"There's not too many renegade wizards around." She explained. "And one just passed by here a couple weeks ago."

"Where was she going?" Fan-Min asked.

"She was traveling to New Tristram."

"Oh? Why?" Fan-Min pushed for quicker answers.

"It sounded like something happened there; something to do with a demon." Squirt explained. "Word has it that there is one of Hell's butchers there."

"A butcher?" Fan-Huang asked.

"Pay him no mind." Fan-Min butted in. "He should know what it is, but since he's a sad excuse for a student of the Yshari Sanctum, I'll explain it to him later."

"Okay…" Squirt said a bit uncomfortably. "Anyway, it seemed that's where she headed."

"Any idea why a butcher would be in New Tristram?" Fan-Min asked.

"I'm eleven years old." Squirt said with a 'duh' face. "How should I know?"

"You seem to know a lot." Fan-Huang pointed out the obvious.

"I deal with a lot of 'in-the-know' kinda' people." Squirt explained. "People kinda' like you, only better informed."

"Watch your mouth, child." Fan-Min warned.

"Anyway, my point is that she went to New Tristram if they followed through with what I overheard them saying."

"Great." Fan-Min celebrated. "Now we know where to go."

"Let's get a room at an inn and we can talk this over." Fan-Huang suggested. "I've got some ideas."

"Great…" She said sarcastically.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Kazur woke up as he always did: lazily. As he stood up to his impressive height, a note fell from his chest and landed on the floor with the slightest noise, just enough to draw his attention. He looked over to the bed next to his. It was empty. That concerned him.

He leaned down and picked up the note and read it.

 _My dearest brother Kazur,_

 _You have been everything to me these last eight years. I'll never forget when we first met as new roommates. I cherish that day. Thank you for all the time you've spent working with me and helping me grow in my studies. I never doubt that you love me and I hope that you also know without a doubt that I love you. I hate to have to leave this message to you, but I am bound by blood to be with Fan-Min. She has decided to abandon the Yshari Sanctum and pursue Li-Ming and I am accompanying her. As her older brother I cannot abide her going into this demon-infested world alone. I hope you understand and can forgive me for abandoning you. You will always be in my heart._

 _Your little brother,_

 _Huang_

"Kid..." Kazur sighed, his heart feeling like it was drowning in its own tears. "What have you and your foolish sister done?" He stumbled back onto his bed and cried. He knew he needed to be getting ready for classes, but they just didn't seem that important anymore. He looked up through teary eyes at the now empty bed that once belonged to his little brother.

He shook his head in denial. No, that bed still belonged to Fan-Huang. "Don't worry, Kid." He stood up and grabbed a large arcane ball used by diviners to see beyond what their eyes had access to. "You can't leave your sister and I can't leave my brother." He looked into the ball in hopes of receiving a premonition that might help him deduce where the siblings had gone.

As he stared, he thought of Fan-Huang both in his head and in his heart. He longed to find and be with his little brother and sister again. He closed his eyes and felt the rising pressure of arcane energy flowing through his body toward his eyes as a vision beyond physical sight traveled to his head. In a flash he saw it all. _The desert. Demons. Caldeum. A caravan in the sands. A remote village in the deep woods. Darkness._ Kazur could feel sweat pouring down his head as the shadows of the darkness and heat from the fires of Hell reached his vision. _Fire. Death._ What he saw next about made him shout out in confusion and fury. _Fan-Min. Casting a spell. Disintegrate. Fan-Huang. Burning away to nothing._

Kazur threw the ball to the ground in denial. He didn't want to believe it. He wept bitterly. What was he supposed to do? His entire success as a student and a warrior at the Yshari Sanctum was based on the reliability of his premonitions. They were always true. How could he turn a blind eye to this one simply because he didn't like it?

He looked out the window at students racing to class. The sun was high in the sky and hot. He looked at the door. It was the same door that Fan-Huang had walked out not even a full day ago and now Kazur knew he was to follow him. "I won't abandon you, Kid. You won't die. I won't let you."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Night fell in Caldeum and Fan-Min argued with her little brother over their course of action. "If you didn't want to come with me, then why did you come with me?" She yelled.

"I couldn't leave you alone." Fan-Huang argued. "I need to keep you safe."

"You're a pushover." She snapped. "Trust me. I don't need you." She huffed and sat angrily on her bed. "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. In fact, this would all be easier without you."

"Why's it so important we meet Li-Ming?"

"It's not about _meeting_ Li-Ming." She about bit Fan-Huang's head off, her eyes crazy. "It's about having her teach me." She stood back up, unable to sit still. She was too worked up. "She's the greatest wizard this world has ever seen."

"You honestly think she's greater than Isendra or Tal Rasha?"

"Yes."

"There's really no way I can convince you to go home?" Fan-Huang sounded desperate and Fan-Min knew he was sincere in his intention to keep her safe. As weak as he was, she knew he always had her best interest in mind. But that didn't change anything.

"Fan-Huang." She said calmly, but firmly. "Are you a fool?" Her older brother looked at her confused. He didn't follow where this was going. "We don't have a home." Her words were true and they hit Huang in a painful moment of realization. "We left the Yshari Sanctum. We broke our vows. We are not welcome there any longer. We're Renegade Wizards."

Fan-Huang felt tears running down his face. He collapsed back onto his bed. "But..." His word was shaky and broken. "It was a home."

"Maybe for you." Fan-Min came and sat by her brother. "Not for me."

"What was it then?" His broken eyes did what very little things did for Min: caused her heart to crack, flooding her with the very uncomfortable emotions of sadness and sympathy. She placed a tiny arm around her small brother and could feel how successful his work-outs with Kazur had been. And therein laid the issue. Kazur. He missed Kazur. It wasn't his bed. Or the classes. It wasn't the safety. Or the food. It wasn't the Yshari Sanctum at all. It was Kazur.

"For me?" Fan-Min asked absently as she thought about her brother's pain in his separation from his best friend. The very man that was to him what Fan-Huang was to her. A big brother. "For me it was a prison." She sighed. "I never wanted to hurt you. This is why you should never have come." She stood back up and put her stoic game-face back on. "Stay here." She commanded. "Kazur will come. I know this." She smiled to her brother. "He'll find you."

"That doesn't fix anything!" Fan-Huang shouted. His sudden burst startled Fan-Min causing her to nearly gasp. "Don't you get it?!" His voice was louder than needed. "It wasn't just Kazur. It's you too! I want you both. You're my little sister. I can't live this life without you and yet you keep trying to push me out!" The words struck Min like a slap across the face. She had never realized just how much her big brother cared about her. She had always seen her power a reason for him to not care about her. She didn't need it. This wasn't just care that would protect her. This was love.

"Then you'll have to come with me." She said quietly as she climbed into bed. She'd had too much of this emotional crap for one evening. "I'm going to New Tristram. If you want me in your life, then you'll indulge me on this selfish journey."

"Then I guess I'm going to New Tristram."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Marina Vale lingered in the branches of an old and tangled tree on the outskirts of New Tristram. The sky was dark and pouring rain giving her the added concealment she wanted. She watched as a caravan ventured out from the town with the hails and cheers from the town. Within the caravan was the very heroes that had apparently won victory for the town from the Butcher.

She watched as Li-Ming, Valla, Kharazim, Sonya, Nazeebo, and Johanna left the village behind them with their eyes set to a new target before them. While there was no doubt that the group of heroes had protected New Tristram from a great and terrible threat, Marina got the feeling that the town wasn't out of danger just yet. While she would never compare herself to the legendary Valla, she did consider herself an impressive and talented Demon Hunter. She had been hunting since she was just a child and had developed a trust in her intuition, and it was telling her right then that there was another threat lingering over the accursed town.

Even then, at that very moment, though the Butcher was dead, there were still the minor demons and undead running rampant just outside the walls of the village. Such 'minor' threats caused a great deal of damage to the village as they threatened to kill the farmers that provided for the inhabitants of the town. They threatened the lives of the children who played outside the walls of the village. They threatened any travelers to and from the town. Marina knew she could not follow the great heroes as they left this town behind them. She needed to remain and protect them from the smaller threats, but also from the one she could sense soon befalling New Tristram.

From her vantage point she watched the caravan vanish over the horizon and jumped out of her tree. She was immediately greeted by the walking corpses that remained since the fall of the Butcher. As they scrambled toward her, she raised her two crossbows, ready to fight. The undead were certainly not the most dangerous creatures around, but if you let them, they'd overrun you and tear you apart. With one small crossbow in each hand she unloaded bolt after bolt at the disgusting, bloated zombies. They moaned and gurgled as they fell to the ground, permanently dead.

With the last one dead, she decided to head back into the town to get out of the rain. She had finished patrolling around the outskirts of New Tristram to ensure that no large threats were immediate to the villagers. She looked to her left, then to her right. There were no monsters. She smiled, but then slowly let it fall into a confused frown. "Which way is back to town?" She asked herself. She had always struggled with directions. It was for this reason her uncle had always told her she could never be a successful hunter on her own. A hunter needed to be able to track an animal and then also get back home. Marina could certainly track prey, but she could not find her way out of her own house if she actually owned one.

After a little wandering, she sat in town under the tent often used by merchants to sell, but considering the weather, there weren't enough people out of their homes to justify unloading all the goods, so they were left unattended. Marina had the entire town square, if you could call it that since it was so very small, to herself. She sat and pondered the dark feeling she had that some great evil was on the verge of this sad town.

She was caught by surprise when she heard the sound of horses trotting into town and the rattling of wagons. Looking up, she saw a relatively small caravan of people traveling in, and considering their style of dress, she assumed they came from the desert. "Probably a caravan from Caldeum." She spoke quietly to herself. "But that's an awfully dangerous trip for such a small group." She watched the new group of people carefully, looking for a clue as to how they traversed the demon-filled desert without suffering a collective death.

To answer her question, her eyes fell on two individuals dressed very differently from everyone else. They were wearing very unique attire. The man was wearing robes that had a deep neckline that plunged down to his navel, leaving much of his front torso exposed. On his shoulders were small pads for protection that had long sleeves attached that covered his arms. His waist had a large black sash around it with a heavy-looking book attached. All below his waist was thoroughly covered by what resembled a traditional robe's skirt. The outfit was a mix of purple, white, and black. His hair was short, dark-brown, and styled well. What stood out the most was his short stature. He couldn't have been taller than 5'5" or 5'6" and he looked very young.

The girl was wearing a similar outfit, only hers covered her entire torso thoroughly in cloth and veil-like attachments that flowed in the wind very elegantly. Her arms were left totally exposed and her legs were covered, much like the guy, in the skirt of a traditional robe that ended higher up than the guy's. While his feet were totally covered by his robes that dragged on the ground, her feet were exposed revealing heeled boots that looked like they were made out of a solid, but light metal perfect for combat. She was even shorter than the guy, but had matching dark-brown hair, though, hers was long and flowing.

"Sorcerers?" Marina asked herself quietly. She looked them over. There was no sign of a clan emblem anywhere on their persons. "What kind of a sorcerer doesn't promote their clan?" She watched with intrigue as the two immediately left the company of the caravan and made their way into the Slaughtered Calf Inn.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The villagers risking going outside the walls of New Tristram to go back to their work had no idea the danger they were in. Farmers needed to tend to their crops and animals. Hunters needed to gather their game. Foragers needed to find their produce. Work needed to be done. Little did they know the cost it would have.

Avator watched from atop Tamoe Mountains as the villagers celebrated the fall of the Butcher. It was, to them, another victory for mankind over the legions of Hell. Little did they know, the legions of Hell were countless, and they were divided. Simply because you beat one order from Hell didn't mean you were safe from the others.

"Rin." Avator spoke in a deep, menacing voice.

"Yes?" The small dark-fairy asked his large master while standing obediently on his shoulder.

"We need an army." The demon lord said plainly.

"No one better for such a task than you." Rin explained. "Diablo was a fool for overlooking your great power, and now Azmodan has made the same mistake."

"A mistake that will prove to be fatal for him." Avator smiled a wicked grin. "We will begin our army here, where Diablo was once held, and we will grow in number until we can march against the very evils of Hell. They won't know what hit them."

"What would you have me do?" Rin asked, his fairy-body fluttering before the handsome human-in-appearance face of his master.

"I need more power if I'm to build an army large enough to take on the forces and cunning of Azmodan." He admitted wisely. "Bring me the souls of as many children as you can. They will feed my fire."

"As you wish, my lord."

"And in the meantime, I shall draw to me and convert those foolish enough to leave the protection of New Tristram."

"But that protection is fading quickly." Rin added with a evil twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes. Without Deckard Cain, they have nothing."

As the villagers returned to work, they began growing slow and lazy. Suddenly, their work just didn't seem that important. Their mind wandered to the Tamoe Mountains to the east. Within minutes, every man and woman outside of the walls of New Tristram had dropped their work and was traveling, unhindered by the demons running freely about the lands, toward the Tamoe Mountains to their new master. They didn't know what they were doing or why they were doing it. None of that mattered. All that mattered was that they followed the new thoughts and desires that now dominated their minds: to serve their lord Avator.

Avator smiled evilly. "I shall take that which Diablo himself could not." He laughed to himself as he watched through his demon eyes as his new servants made their ways mindlessly to him. "I shall dominate this whole world."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Fan-Min placed a muddy boot onto the old wooden floor of the Slaughtered Calf Inn. She was drenched, as was her brother, and cold. The weather around New Tristram was incredibly different than the climate she was used to at the Yshari Sanctum. She figured she might even see snow up close. She had seen it resting white atop the mountains of Tamoe, but she had yet to experience it first hand.

"Finally, somewhere warm!" Fan-Huang exhaled in glee. The roaring fire of the inn was a welcomed commodity. Both renegade wizards made their way hastily over to the fire with their arms tightly wrapped around themselves to try to ward off the chill of the wet air.

All eyes in the inn were resting on the two strange-looking foreigners. New Tristram was not a popular travel destination. It was just a small settlement outside of the Tamoe Highlands made even less desirable by the multitude of demonic assaults that had befallen it in the past and seemed to continue even to this day. Yet, now there were new faces in the cursed town, and not just ordinary faces, but arcane wielders.

"I could stay here forever." Min exclaimed, basking in the warmth of the flames.

"You and me both." Huang agreed through a chattering smile.

"Unfortunately..." Fan-Min said as she stared into the fire. "We didn't come here to sight-see. We're here on a mission."

Fan-Huang looked at his sister. She really had a way of sucking the fun out of anything. He let it go and simply agreed with her. "I know."

They remained in front of the fire long enough to let their clothing dry so they were no longer soaked, just damp. Once they were sufficiently warmed, Fan-Min wasted no time getting back on track. She approached the innkeeper. "Greetings." She said passingly. "Are we the only wizards you've seen recently?"

"I'm not really sure." The man said. "I can't say I can spot a wizard out from a crowd."

Min glared at him with icy fury. "Don't play dumb with me."

"Maybe if you offered some coins I could remember." He said with a sly smirk.

Fan-Min smirked right back to him and narrowed her eyes. "Here's the deal." She started. The innkeeper's face lit up a bit in anticipation of a quick pay. Fan-Min's hand began to burn a purple shade and she held it up to the innkeeper's face. "You tell me what I want to know and I let you live." She shrugged. "Or, you don't and I kill you." She looked around the room. "No one in this room can stop me." She looked back at the man. "Your choice."

Fan-Huang ran to his little sister's side. "Min, you can't kill him." He protested. "That'd be murder."

"No, it would be a favor to everyone here." She laughed. "Free drinks for everyone."

"It's not funny."

"No, it's hilarious." She laughed a bit more before getting serious and glaring at the innkeeper again. "And about to become a reality." Her words were confident and intimidating.

"Fine." He caved. "There were two wizards, I think."

"Oh?"

"One had long black hair and some purple robes on, kinda' like yours and the other had butterfly wings." He spoke nervously. "I don't know their names." He looked down to the ground. "Deckard Cain would have."

"Deckard Cain?" Fan-Min asked with a raised eyebrow. "Where can I find this man?"

"You can't." The innkeeper explained. "He's dead."

"How?"

"Murdered by one of the wizards."

"Which one?" Fan-Huang asked.

Fan-Min looked at him like he was an idiot. "The one with butterfly wings, moron."

"Exactly." The man agreed. "She was terrifying."

"Where did they go?" Min asked.

"I'm not entirely sure." He explained. "One left just a few days ago in a caravan. I assume she was going to Caldeum or Lut Gholein. The other one just vanished."

"Dang it!" She spat to herself. "We missed her." She walked away, dragging her brother with her. "We're going to Lut Gholein."

"Seriously?" Huang argued. "We just got here. Let's take a break!"

"The more we break the farther she gets ahead of us."

As she kicked the door to the Slaughtered Calf Inn open, the sound of screams could be heard from the far side of town. She glared at her brother and complained. "A delay..."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

As Fan-Min watched panicked villagers run by in a rush away from the west side of town she rolled her eyes. "Come on, Huang. We're leaving." She ordered as she stepped unconcerned into the town square. "We need to catch up to Li-Ming."

"What?!" Fan-Huang shouted in disbelief. "These people need us and you plan on just leaving?"

"They don't need us. They need to learn to defend themselves better. They'll never better themselves if we save them from every trouble."

"This isn't just trouble, Min. People are dying!"

"People die all the time." She shrugged. "Just be glad you were born my brother and have the fortune of my protection."

"Min, I don't push very often, but I must insist."

"Insist what?" She turned and stared down her brother.

"That we stay and help these people." He stood firm.

"We?" She laughed. "What we?"

"I can help." He insisted.

"Maybe if they're being attacked by a horde of elderly women." She laughed more. "But I doubt that's the case."

"Please, sister." He resorted to begging.

She stood and pondered for a moment. Then turned on her heel quickly. "No." She said nonchalantly. "We're leaving. Li-Ming's not coming to us."

That sparked an idea in Fan-Huang's mind. "Maybe she would." He said like bait on the hook.

Fan-Min stopped and looked back at her brother. "What do you mean?

"Just think." Fan-Huang lured her in. "You save New Tristram, a location that Li-Ming already tried to save, but didn't finish the job. The word will get out and she'll hear that some other powerful Renegade Wizard saved the day. She'd have to want to meet this mysterious savior that could finish what she couldn't."

"You have a good point..." Min said as she thought out-loud. "But there's no guarantee that she'd come."

"That's true, but there's also no guarantee that we'll be able to catch her. We don't know where she's going."

"Unfortunately, that's also true."

"At least with this scenario you get to show off your powers and possibly draw the attention of the most powerful wizard in this world." Fan-Huang smiled confidently. "Seems like a good plan to me."

"For being such an idiot..." She thought more. "It's not a completely stupid plan."

"It's a great plan!" Fan-Huang urged her. She glared at him. "Okay, okay. It's a not stupid plan. Wanna' try it?"

"I will not try it." Fan-Min said proudly. "I don't try things. I do things. I always succeed."

"Then let's do it."

"We're not doing it." She insisted. "I'm doing it and you're going to watch in wonder."

The two wizards turned and ran toward the commotion. People continued to run from the west side, screaming in a panic as they went. Once Fan-Min and Fan-Huang arrived, the threat was obvious.

Before them was a group of men and women using a variety of tools and instruments to assault and murder the villagers. They looked ordinary except the very blank facial expressions they wore and the strange glow of their eyes.

"What do we do?" Fan-Huang asked.

"Kill them." Fan-Min answered.

"But they look like they're innocent people under a spell or something!" He protested.

"So?" Min asked as she charged up her arcane into a focused ball in her hand. It crackled with hunger. "That's too bad for them. We protect those under attack. Isn't that what you want?"

"I want to save everyone."

"Then you should have studied harder at the Sanctum." She rolled her eyes as she charged into the battle.

"Fan-Min!" Huang shouted as he tried to grab her before she ran too far off. He missed and watched as his sister entered into combat. The poor villagers didn't stand a chance. Unable to stop her, he did what he at least he knew he could. He ran to the villagers that were injured or confused and aided them.

Fan-Min found herself surrounded by mindless villagers all aiming to murder her. She could barely hold back her need to laugh. They all looked so weak and pathetic. They were so easily controlled by whoever was pulling the strings. "You're going to regret this." She taunted them, not that they could hear her, but she wondered if the puppeteer could.

With the crackling orb of arcane energy resting weightlessly in her palm, she began with her other hand, to direct the hungry energy in various directions. This resulted in what looked like purple trails of electricity traveling from her hands to the dominated villagers. As soon as the lightning hit a villager, the body would go limp and fall to the ground motionlessly.

Fan-Huang watched in horror as his sister electrocuted the helpless villagers to death one after another. He knew he couldn't stop her, so he tried to push it out of his mind and aid the wounded at getting away before they were caught up in the battle any more than they already were.

He ran over to a villager that was lying almost motionlessly on the ground with a club in his hand and tried to help him up. "Come on!" He hollered as he used the strength of his small, but well developed body to lift the man off the ground. He slung the man's arm over his shoulders and began helping him away from the battle.

Without warning, the man quickly whipped his arm away from Fan-Huang and walloped him over the back of the head with his club. The wizard fell hard to the ground barely conscious. He rolled over, mud all over him, and watched as Fan-Min continued to shoot electricity at the masses of brainwashed villagers flooding around her. She was totally ignoring the few that had passed by her and were now surrounding him.

Showing no emotion on their faces, a small group of five brainwashed villagers grabbed hold of Fan-Huang and began dragging him off toward the village limits. He had no idea where they were taking him, but it was probably not somewhere he wanted to go. He tried to scream for his sister's help, but he was so disoriented that he couldn't muster up the strength to cry out. Instead, he fell limp and allowed them to slide his small body through the sloshy mud.

He watched as his sister grew father and farther away from him. His clothes were soaking again and mud-covered. Not that it mattered. If his sister never noticed his absence then he'd soon be dead. Wherever they were taking him was probably going to end in his death. He watched his sister as he was dragged away and wondered how someone as proud and powerful as her could let so many villagers by and not notice her brother being dragged to his death. It seemed so sloppy for her.

Just as the villagers dragged him outside the walls of New Tristram, a bright flash exploded around Fan-Huang. He covered his eyes in the blinding light and felt himself get swept up in someone's arms. He opened his eyes to see who was carrying him, but it was no good. His eyes were unable to see anything other than white.

Whoever was carrying him was moving very quickly. His eyes slowly began to regain their sight, but before he could get a good look at his savior, he was dropped carelessly on the ground and the person was running out of sight. All he managed to catch a glimpse of was someone shrouded in dark garments and a hood running away and disappearing behind the structures of the town.

"Get him in here!" Someone shouted. Before Fan-Huang knew exactly what was happening he was vomiting on the ground and then passed out. The only thing he knew was that his head hurt a ton!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Fan-Huang's eyes fluttered open as a throbbing pain bothered the back of his head. He recalled being assaulted and dragged. What he didn't really understand was how he got to wherever he was. He looked around the room. It was well-cared for and quite quaint. He assumed it was one of the upper rooms of the Slaughtered Calf Inn.

The window was dark and covered in cascading raindrops. It was still raining. The fireplace opposite the bed he was lying in was burning comfortably and his clothing was all drying out in front of it. It caused him a bit of concern, so he quickly looked underneath the sheets and found he was wearing some trousers that he was unfamiliar with. Someone must have loaned him a pair while his dried.

Sitting in a cushy chair by the fire was Fan-Min. She was reading a book. It looked like an old tome of some sort. She was also in new garb while hers dried. She looked like a typical villager. He assumed he looked like that too, except he didn't have any shoes or a shirt. "What are you reading?"

She looked up at her older brother. He expected some snarky comment about how he was defeated by villagers or some complaint that he slowed her down, but he didn't receive anything like that. She looked back down at the old tome in her lap. "Nothing of importance." She began. "Just the writings of that man, Deckard Cain, that they're so upset over." She shrugged with a humorless giggle. "It's about Carrion Bats. Apparently he was some sort of demonologist or zoologist. I'm not sure if I should be impressed by the level of detail or disturbed by the obvious obsession."

"Sounds like he must have been a smart man."

"Or just old."

"You can be both."

"You can be just old." She stood up and walked over to her brother. "Let me take a look." He sat up and she placed gentle hands on the back of his head. "You'll be fine, but it was definitely a heavy hit. A bit surprising from a villager, huh?" She laughed a bit.

"I guess." Fan-Huang shrugged as she let his head fall back carefully against the pillows. "He was pretty big."

"I guess." She smiled a sympathetic smile. "You know I wasn't going to let them kill you." She said with her eyes locked onto his. "I was watching."

"Then why'd you let them take me?"

"I was going to follow them to the source of the brainwashing. I assume there's another demon with his or her eyes on this town. You're not just an ordinary villager. You're a Renegade Wizard, though of meager power, still a wizard." She sat on the bed by her brother. "I figured the demon in charge would have wanted to see you. Maybe try to control you too. I'd just follow you to him and take care of it all in one day."

"Smart." Fan-Huang heard himself say, though he was a bit hurt that she would use him as bait.

"I know your feelings are probably hurt. You're a pathetically emotional man and don't always think rationally." She said straight-faced. "So, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. And I am sorry for the injury to your head." He could tell she was being sincere and that it was difficult for her. "But I'll do it again if the opportunity arises."

"I don't doubt that."

"Then you know me well." She laughed quietly. "If only that Demon Hunter had stayed out of things." She complained. "We'd be fighting a demon right now and saving a town."

"Can't be helped, I guess."

"At least we can assume she's not our enemy." Fan-Min gestured with her hands carelessly in the air. "Otherwise she would have just let you die."

"She?" Fan-Huang asked. "That person carried me like I was nothing. It had to have been a man."

"You are like nothing." She explained. "It was a woman. Trust me." She sat back down. "Anyway, you're head's gonna' hurt today and your mind will probably be groggy. Try to get some rest." She started reading her book again. "I'll be right here to protect you."

"You just don't want to get wet in the rain." Fan-Huang said through a grin.

"Then you know me well."

The day went by drearily as the rain pattered against the roof and window and the sun was cut off by the clouds. Fan-Huang rested in bed the entirety of the day at the order of his sister. She read and brought food to him before the night came.

"Get some sleep." She instructed him. "Tomorrow we're back out there."

"That's fine." He agreed. "These people need us."

"We need to get Li-Ming's attention." Fan-Min insisted. "That's not going to happen sleeping in some grungy inn."

Fan-Huang scooted over in the bed. "You should get some sleep too."

"You better not snore." She insisted before sharing the bed with her brother. "Don't worry." She joked. "If any other villagers come to get you tonight, I'll protect you."

"Funny…"

As the night went on, Fan-Huang tossed and turned as nightmares haunted his slumber. In his nightmare, a very large and intimidating man stood before him. He must have been nearly nine feet tall and stronger looking than Kazur. His eyes were a terrifying yellow and his voice a deep rumble. He had nothing clothing him and a small fairy-like creature sitting upon his broad shoulder. Despite his human appearance, Fan-Huang knew this was no human. He was a demon.

The man spoke to him in his dream. "Wizard." The one word seemed to echo within Fan-Huang's very body. "Consider this mercy." In his dream, Huang stood motionless as this large man addressed him. They stood atop the peak of a mountain that was resting just above an opaque wall of mist just below them. He had no idea where he was, but he didn't worry over it. His attention was locked on the demon before him.

"Mercy?" The wizard asked.

The large man laughed deeply. "I am Avator." He spoke with pride. "I am the terror that will be the undoing of this village. I shall decimate that which Diablo himself could not. I will wipe the name Tristram from the map, a feat not even the Prime Evils could accomplish." He spoke with bitterness in his voice. "I'm a practical man." He admitted. "I know you and your company hold great arcane power." He chuckled a bit to himself. "Nothing that I can't handle, but it would be an unneeded inconvenience to have to deal with you." He looked Fan-Huang in the eyes and the gaze was so intense, Fan-Huang had to look away. "If you don't wish to die, leave in the morning and cause me no trouble. If you stay, you will either fall under my domination or you will die. Either way, you will be lost."

"Why do you despise Tristram so?" Fan-Huang's voice was trembling. This was the first time he'd faced real evil. All other creatures he had encountered, as limited as that number was, were nothing more than demonic beasts that acted as nothing more than dangerous animals. Avator was different. He was more like the Lords of Hell. He had intelligence. He had purpose. He was truly dangerous and entirely evil. Fan-Huang could feel that.

"I despise all humans." Avator started. "But this town has unfortunately tasted the presence of Diablo and lived to tell about it. Yet, even in his repeated failures, he remains a Prime Evil, and I, in my repeated victories and accomplishments, remain unmentioned within the Chaos Sanctuary." He explained. "I cannot stand for this. By accomplishing that which Diablo himself could not, I will earn my title as a Lord of Hell."

"Why do-" The wizard was suddenly cut off.

"Enough!" Avator yelled, his voice shaking the mountain peak. "I have no need to explain anything more to you. Be grateful for the mercy I've shown you and leave." He said threateningly. "The next time we see each other will be your death."

Fan-Huang and Fan-Min both shot up in bed. Huang was soaked from head to toe in sweat. "Gross!" Fan-Min complained as she climbed out of bed, a flare of anger and eagerness in her eyes. "I just had an interesting dream." She stated casually.

Fan-Huang got out of bed, holding his trousers up with his hand since they were clearly from someone of a larger stature than him. "Me too." He explained. "I saw a man, a demon, by the name of Avator." Fan-Min listened, but seemed unsurprised. "He spoke to me on top of a mountain. He said he was going to destroy this town and we should leave to avoid death." Fan-Huang sighed deeply. "He was pretty strong looking. I was scared. To think that the forces of Hell have as powerful demons as him."

Fan-Min laughed. "He scared you?" She asked mockingly. "There was nothing scary about him." She spoke proudly. "I had the same dream, a vision really, and we also were on the mountain. He told me to leave and I told him to flee back to whatever slime-filled hole he crawled out of or he'd suffer my wrath." She spoke as if this was typical conversation. Fan-Huang figured, for her, such haughty threats were pretty typical. "He tried to make a move on me to make a point, so I killed him."

"You killed him?"

"Of course. He was a demon. He deserved it."

"So he's dead?"

"No, idiot." She explained. "I killed him in a dream. He's still out there for real."

"So what do we do?"

"I think we should pursue Li-Ming. We should catch up with her and help her fight against the Lords of Hell." Fan-Min suggested eagerly.

"Avator said he'd destroy the town!" Fan-Huang argued. "We need to stay and protect them."

"Why?"

"So they don't die!"

"They're not our responsibility!" She complained "We don't owe them anything more than the payment we already gave them for this room."

"You really don't care if they die?"

"I don't want them to die, but no, it won't hurt me if this town is wiped off the map."

"That's cruel."

"It's realistic." She countered. "We can't be everywhere to protect everyone. It's unrealistic to make the lives of every human our responsibility."

Fan-Huang knew he was getting no where with this. "Why don't we stay and defeat Avator. He seemed like a pretty powerful demon." He explained. "Don't you think that we could go through with my plan and catch her attention?"

"I'm not sure." Fan-Min admitted. "Who knows if she even knows that Avator exists."

"If he's as big a deal as he says he is, then she'll know."

Fan-Min sighed. "This better work, brother." She warned. "Or I'm going to be mad."

"I can't guarantee anything." Huang told her. "But I do know that we have no idea where Li-Ming is or where she is going. We have better luck drawing her attention."

"I know, I know." Fan-Min brushed his long spiel off. "You already said this once."

"And I thought we were on the same page."

"A girl can change her mind."

"Are we together on this?"

A few seconds went by as she clearly thought to herself. Finally she nodded and spoke. "Yes. We're together. Even though I know I'll be doing all the work."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Avator stood in silence, fuming over the total disrespect the young female wizard had shown him. He was to be a Lord of Hell. He could not let such arrogant behavior against him go unpunished. As his trusty servant Rin, the dark fairy, sat upon his shoulder, he plotted.

"We have work to do." He addressed the little demonic fairy who moved swiftly from his shoulder to fluttering in front of his wicked grinning face. "We need a base of operation. Somewhere to gather our troops and arm them for the war to come."

"The war?" Rin asked.

"Yes. Those wizards are no joke." Avator explained. "Especially the female." He stroked his chin with a firm hand. "Killing them won't be easy."

"The war against New Tristram." Rin said to no one in particular. "Sounds fun!"

"Eliminating two wizards, a demon hunter, and the cursed village that even the Prime Evils and Andarial couldn't overthrow will definitely earn me the right to be a Lord of Hell."

"You already deserve it." Rin praised him, as was his custom.

"Now where should we set up base?" Avator asked his little helper. "I have thought about two options."

"What are they, master?"

"There is an old convent just outside the monastery beyond the Tamoe Highlands. It has been abandoned for some time. The bodies that remain there are but brittle skeletons now from what appeared to be a brutal slaughter, most likely by the hands of the Fallen Rogues under the orders of Blood Raven. Our activity would most definitely go unnoticed there, but we would have some distance to lure our troops."

"And the other?"

"The Forgotten Tower." Avator stated plainly. "By most, the name rings true. However, there are some that the tower's existence is remembered. Isendra and The Countess both would know of the place."

"But neither of them are around." Rin added.

"True." Avator agreed. "Seems like a good choice."

Avator and Rin made their way to the Forgotten Tower. It was a dilapidated old tower which was once a luxurious fortress in the middle of the Black Marsh. It was made of stone, but was beginning to topple over, but that was no problem to the overall integrity of the structure. It was no typical tower. It actually was an upside-down tower. It went down into the ground rather than up into the sky. Avator couldn't have cared less if the above-ground section was falling over. He only needed the dark basements for hiding and the strong walls within for protection as he amassed an army.

Within the bowels of the tower where The Countess once murdered virgins to bathe in their blood for the prolonging of her youth was now simply the stench of decay, the silence of cobwebs lingering overheard, and the darkness of the depths of the earth. None of this bothered a demon like Avator. In fact, it made him come alive. He was ready to do that which the Prime Evils could not. All he needed was an army.

He had plans for that. Dark Fairies had substantial power, but what Rin excelled at was the warping of souls. If he could lure innocent, naive souls to him, within hours he could birth from them the most terrifying of demons. This complemented well what Avator was the master of. Dominance. He had the power to dominate the mind and will of any creature around him, barring those with exceptional resilience and fortitude, such as a Lord of Hell or a hero like Cassia or Isendra. Together, they were confident they could provide for themselves an army of lesser demons, brain-washed villagers, and soul-born devils in a meager amount of time. The only thing that worried Avator was those two wizards and the demon hunter in town. He knew he could handle them, but Rin was not so powerful, but he was an essential part of his plan. He needed to keep an eye on him.

He'd kill the wizards and demon hunter if he needed to, but that wasn't his preference. He truly wanted to dominate them. Put them in the ranks of his army. Especially the young female wizard. She had immense power within her. The kind of power that even the Lesser Evils of Hell feared when they were honest with themselves. If he could get her on his side, they'd win. That was a guarantee.

Rin flew toward New Tristram as quickly as his wings could carry him, though he knew he didn't need to rush. Stealing children away was something much more easily done under the shrouds of night. But he was so eager to serve Avator! He couldn't help but rush to the village.

At the same time, Avator stood still in the center of a dark room in the bowels of the Forgotten Tower. Surrounded by darkness and silence, he closed his eyes and focused himself. His mind travelled to the lands surrounding the tower as quickly as lightning could strike. He located all sorts of beasts and unlucky villagers going about their work. All of them seemed weak-minded and simple. He knew he'd have no trouble dealing with them. Focusing himself, he forced his way into all of their minds. The wild animals. The lesser demons. The humans. And even a few more substantial and powerful demons. None of them stood a chance against his dominating mind.

The animals and lesser demons gave in immediately. The humans all succumbed within a minute, but the stronger demons resisted, however, their resistance was short lived. In just a few minutes Avator dominated them all at the same time. His overwhelming will was like a flood raging over all the freewill within them. They couldn't fight it.

Without speaking a word by his mouth, Avator directed all his new unwilling recruits to gather within the tower. There he would bide his time, assess his army, and arm those who needed it. He sent one of the larger demons toward the village to protect Rin. The dark fairy's role was too important to allow anyone to jeopardize it.

Rin arrived at the village's edge. He could sense that he couldn't enter the village himself. Even after his death, the barrier erected by Deckard Cain remained strong enough to ward demons from entering in. That's why it was so important Avator had his army. The dominated humans and animals could enter without trouble, for in order for the true demons to get in, they would need enough demons to sacrifice to the barrier to lower it. They needed fodder.

As he waited, a large almost canine demon approached him from behind. Rin could immediately identify the aura of domination enveloping the beast. He was one of Avator's. He was a rather rare specimen in the current days. He was a Tainted. Within the realms of Hell they were known as Hellhounds. He was clearly a remnant of the reign of Andarial, the Maiden of Anguish in the Monastery. They were known for their ability to breathe electricity and their fierce determination for slaughter. They had large heads and clawed hands and feet. Their mouths were rowed with incredibly sharp fangs and on top of their head were two twisted and dangerous horns.

"You'll come in handy." Rin smiled. "But if this all goes as planned, you won't be needed now." The Tainted looked at him obediently. "We'll get their kids without them even waking from their mindless dreams."

They waited silently for night to fall. Once darkness had covered the silent village, the dark fairy got to work. With an enchanting voice Rin sang, his voice only recognizable by children. Each child in the village still young enough to have an untainted soul by the evil in the world heard his beautifully beckoning song. Under a trance, each child snuck from their bedrooms as silently as ghosts and followed the fairy straight out of town.

So powerful was the dark fairy's powers of luring that not even the guards noticed the dark magic at work. They stood at the town's entrances and exits and never noticed the entirety of the youth population wander right by them. It was as if they were invisible.

Rin slowly led the entranced children down the dirt paths of New Tristram toward the mangled trees of the Dark Woods and ultimately to the Forgotten Tower beyond. The Tainted keeping the collection of Avator's souls and his most trusted partner safe from any wandering beasts in the wilds.

Avator had his souls. His army was now a real possibility.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The heat of the desert weighed heavily on Kazur. He was accustomed to the sun of the desert, so he wasn't terribly worried about sun burns, but the heat was unbearable. It slowed his traveling speed considerably. If he didn't move quickly Fan-Min and Fan-Huang would be long outside his reach.

He reached into his pouch on his sash and pulled out his divining stones. It was a bit difficult to focus with the sun bearing down on him, but his need to find his little siblings was too strong. He focused his arcane energy on the stones and on Fan-Huang. As he focused that energy, he tossed his stones and they fell in such a way he knew exactly where to go. West. That in conjunction with the vision he saw at the Yshari Sanctum led him to the conclusion that they were at New Tristram. He couldn't be positive, but it'd be a good place to start. He figured someone at Caldeum could give him a second opinion on that.

"You better be okay." Kazur warned his brother from afar. He knew he couldn't hear him, but he still needed to say it, at the very least, for himself. He wandered through the desert on his way to Caldeum.

Kazur found himself in the heart of Caldeum on the trail of his Yshari siblings. His vision had really rattled him and he would do anything to ensure that it never came true. The scary thing was that he'd never had a vision that didn't come true.

The city was crowded and busy. However, even amidst the hustle and bustle of city life, everyone found a spare moment to stop and stare at the giant arcane user wandering the city like he didn't know where he was going. It didn't take Kazur very long to notice that everyone was staring at him. Finally, he stopped and addressed one of the gawkers. "Excuse me." He started. "Why is everyone looking at me?"

The woman flushed red in embarrassment. She knew very well that she was staring, but hated that she was actually called out for it. "My apologies, sir!" She begged knowing that he was an arcane user and not someone she wanted upset with her. "Please forgive me!"

"No, no, no!" Kazur assured her as he waved his hands disarmingly and smiled. "I'm not mad. I'm just curious. You're so close to the Yshari Sanctum, surely arcane users are common-ish around here."

"We're used to seeing all sorts of warriors pass through. This is Caldeum, after all." She explained. "However, you're very large."

"I see." Kazur laughed. He was hoping there was more to it than that.

"Plus…" The woman went on. "It's not every day that you see so many renegade wizards pass through in just a few days."

"You've seen other renegade wizards?" Kazur asked, the fact that he was a renegade wizard just then sinking in. "Where are they?"

"They're gone." She explained. "According to my friend's husband, they made a big commotion in the tavern and then left. He thought he saw them leaving in a caravan."

"Do you know where to?"

"New Tristram, I would assume." She answered. "Most caravans go there. It's the closest place to get out of this desert heat."

"New Tristram." Kazur repeated absently.

"You're not going to cause trouble like they did, are you?" She asked nervously.

"No, I'm trying to find them. A young man and woman?"

"That's what my friend told me."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Thankful that renegade wizards drew so much attention, Kazur headed about Caldeum in search of a way to New Tristram. Had Fan-Huang and Min been typical people, it'd taken a lot longer to gather all the information he needed around town. It didn't take more than a few hours for Kazur to find a group of merchants eager to get to New Tristram for trade. As such a notable arcane user with his enormous stature, it was easy to strike a deal with them. He'd offered them protection and they'd allowed him passage in their wagons and provide meals. Kazur hoped he wouldn't need to fight for their lives, but he knew that such hopes were never a reality. There were always creatures of the darkness and that meant there were always fights.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Esther Burns woke up next to her husband and rolled her eyes. He was snoring like a bear. She glanced out the window from her bed. The sun was already up. Figuring she'd never fall back asleep through his snoring, she went ahead and got up.

She walked the short distance from her bedroom to that of her children and slowly pushed the door open to see how they were doing. She smiled. Both beds rested motionlessly, two lumps under the sheets. Her children.

Knowing that her kids would just complain if she woke them up, she went over to their beds to give them each a kiss. She was a doting mother, but she had no intention of changing. With a smile, she reached down and pulled her son's sheets down to kiss his forehead.

Martin Burns woke up to the shrieking of his wife from the next room over. He flew out of bed and ran to her. As he ran to her, he could hear screams echoing through the village from every house. What on earth could be happening?

He ran into his children's room and knew immediately why everyone was screaming. In the beds were no children. His children were gone and in their place were the mutilated, bloody corpses of young animals. Esther lifted her hands into the air in horror, the blood of a slaughtered baby goat on her hands and in her son's bed.

"What the hell?" Martin asked, knowing full well his wife didn't know what was happening.

"Where are our babies?" She asked desperately.

Martin walked over and hugged his wife. "I don't know." He said gently, tears running down his own cheeks as his wife wailed in misery.

Marina Vale followed a haunting tune through the woods. It didn't take her long to locate the source of it all. She spotted, ahead of her through the thick of the forest, a dark fairy. Following the wicked creature were the children from the village. They were dancing and laughing as if they hadn't a care in the world to the eerie song of the fairy. It sounded like the howling of the wind through the hollow of a dead tree in the most entrancing and melodic way. As much as she hated the song, she also enjoyed it. The realization made her nervous for her own sanity. The last thing she needed was to end up like one of the children.

She followed knowing what she needed to do: save the kids. With her crossbows ready in her hands, she took careful aim. Fairies were small and quick. They were probably one of the most difficult things to hit, and to make matters worse, there were children dancing and parading all around him. If she missed, it could be fatal for someone's loved kid.

Just before she could fire, a large demonic dog creature pounced her. It was bigger than she was and tackled her entirely to the ground. She glanced over to the fairy and his entourage. He was continuing on his way as if nothing was happening. It sickened her, but she had to ignore him for now. She was about to die and she couldn't save any children if she was dead.

As the large demon's mouth filled up with a very evil feeling lightning, she shot bolts into each of his paws that were restraining her. The pain made him buck and she took the moment to roll out of under him before his paws came crashing back down onto the ground.

Immediately, the beast spit out a deadly electrical breath, like poison, toxic-looking lightning bolts through the air, right at her. She dove out of the way, desperately hoping that it missed her. She'd seen a lot of demons in her life, but this was a new one for her. She had no idea what his breath was capable of.

Once she had gotten back to her feet, anger and discipline driving her, she unleashed a torrent of bolts with the speed and accuracy of something almost inhuman. It was the skill of a woman who had trained in one thing her whole life: killing.

The demon wasn't prepared for his target to be someone as skilled as Marina was. The bolts hit him hard and injured him in a various obvious way. Blood began to stream steadily out of his body as he snarled and grew carelessly aggressive. He was a dying dog and was determined to take her down with him.

Marina saw the glint in his eye. The desire to kill her. And she was not about to let that happen. As the monster charged her, she jumped into the tree as quickly as a monkey could and dodged from branch to branch as the beast toppled each tree with its body weight. "You don't stand a chance." She taunted it. She knew the more work she could make it put out, the faster it would bleed to death.

As she dodged, she took each spare moment to lodge another bolt into the monster's gory flesh. Anything to speed up the beast's death. Time was not a luxury she had if she wanted to save those kids. She had no idea where the fairy was taking them.

She glanced over to try to catch a glimpse of the fairy from her vantage point in the tree, but saw nothing. He was gone. As she was distracted, the monster knocked its body hard into the tree, sending it toppling to the ground, Marina in tow.

Marina hit the ground hard and cried out in pain as she scraped her legs on broken tree branches in the mess. Not even her leather armor could defend against everything. The monster locked onto her with a fire in its eyes that made Marina actually nervous, a feeling she hadn't felt in many years. Whatever this monster was was no joke. It was stronger than anything she'd ever faced before.

It charged at her like a Beast from the Fields of Misery. She forced her body up as quickly as she could, but it wasn't fast enough. The monster pinned her to the ground as she screamed out. She braced herself for whatever would come next. A horrible bite? Claws? Lightning?

She waited, but nothing. As she inspected the beast once her mind had settled a bit, she noticed that it wasn't moving. It had died upon her. She let out a heavy sigh of relief. Luck like this didn't come too often and she certainly would never become reliant on it. But for today, she was grateful! Somehow she had survived.

She forced herself out of under the demon and stood up. She found her crossbows on the ground and latched them onto her back. With the exception of some bruises and cuts, she was remarkably, okay. She looked around in every direction for the fairy and children, but didn't see or hear them. In fact, she didn't recognize anything about where she was. She knew it, but hated to admit it. She was lost again. Unable to determine which way the fairy went or which way New Tristram was, she decided her best bet was to simply head in a direction. She had better luck searching than if she just sat still. Neither the fairy nor the village was coming to her. She'd have to find them.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Fan-Min and Huang both left the Slaughtered Calf Inn with confused faces. The sounds of wailing and screaming could be heard all about town. The siblings looked at each other perplexed. "What's going on?" Fan-Huang asked.

"Whatever it is, I wish it would end." Fan-Min complained. "Their screaming is intolerable."

"Something terrible must have happened."

Fan-Min looked at him unimpressed. "You're quite the detective."

"Shut up."

"Tell all the annoying villagers screaming that." She shrugged off his command. "They're annoying."

"They probably need our help." Fan-Huang argued. "Let's find out what's happened."

"Fine." Min agreed. "But you're doing the talking. I detest hysterical people."

Together they made their way into the heart of New Tristram's residential area where families were gathered together in what appeared to be mourning. Fan-Huang gently approached a crying woman and her grieving husband. "Excuse me." He interrupted their heartbreak quietly.

"Yes?" The man asked in a broken voice.

"My name is Fan-Huang. This is my sister Min" He introduced himself. She gave a bored smile from a distance. "Can I bother you to know what's going on? Why is everyone crying?"

"You haven't heard?" He asked. Fan-Huang shook his head slowly. "All the children." He broke into heavier tears. "They're…" He struggled to get any words out. "They're gone."

At those words, the woman next to him broke into heavy sobs. "My babies!" She screamed.

"What happened?" Fan-Huang asked in a sympathetic voice.

"I woke up and went to check on my sons." The woman explained. "I pulled the covers down and they weren't there." Her eyes were wide with fear and despair as she recalled the not-so-distant past. "Instead, there were bloody animal carcasses." She cried loudly. "What happened to my babies?"

"You're an arcane user, right?" The husband asked. "Can't you tell us? What happened to our children?"

"This happened to every parent in New Tristram?" Huang asked looking at all the wailing families.

"As far as I know, yes."

"I am an arcane user, but I'm afraid I can't tell you what happened." He looked to the ground, ashamed of his lack of knowledge when it came to matters of the arcane and magical realm. "I've never seen anything like this before."

The woman shook her head in disappointment. "Useless." She said heartlessly. "All your training and you still can't protect our children or help explain what happened. What good are all you arcane users?"

"I'm sorry." Fan-Huang said quietly.

"No you're not." Fan-Min stomped up to the woman aggressively. She smacked the lady across the face.

"Hey!" Her husband shouted as he stepped in front of his shocked wife and raised a fist to Min.

"Lower your fist unless you want to die." Fan-Min said through a voice of steel. "You have some nerve dropping your disappointments and uselessness on my brother." Her voice was hard and unsympathetic. "It is not his fault that you are so incompetent as parents and guardians that you can't protect your own children." The families all started to look at Fan-Min with shock and disgust. "He came over here to try to help you miserable peasants and this is how you treat him." She practically spat the words. "Why on earth should he care about you?"

"Can you help us?" The woman asked, clearly flushed by the female wizard's abrupt outburst.

"I can." Fan-Min said boldly. "I know what happened to your children."

The crowd of parents practically went crazy at those words, gathering around her for answers. The crowd cried out all sorts of things.

"Are they alive?"

"Where are they?"

"What happened?"

Fan-Min looked at her dejected brother. It was his desire to help them, but again, he didn't have the know-how. All the heart, none of the knowledge. She felt like she was the opposite. "I will answer your questions if you apologize for your rudeness to my brother."

The crowd immediately began apologizing and begging for forgiveness from Fan-Huang. He blushed in response. He didn't exactly know why Fan-Min was being so stern with the group, but it's not like he could do anything to sway her. She did what she wanted. "It's really no problem." He answered them all. With that Fan-Min smiled and turned her attention to the peasants.

"Your children are alive." She started with, allowing a wave of relief to wash over the group of heartbroken parents. "However, they are not safe." Fear gripped them all again. "The animal carcasses are the result of a spell. A sacrifice was needed in order to allow each of your children to sneak away unnoticed by anyone."

"Who took them?" The woman in front asked.

"I don't know." Fan-Min answered. "But it shouldn't be too hard to discover the answer to that." She smirked proudly. "My brother and I will simply follow the trail of arcane energy used by whatever spellcaster stole your kids away."

"Why do they want our kids?"

Fan-Min had a pretty good idea why the forces of evil could want the children, but she didn't want to hear the screaming of parents if she told the truth. So she lied. "I'm not sure. I'll find that out when I find the culprit."

"Please help our children!" Someone in the crowd cried out.

"What do you say, Fan-Huang?" Fan-Min asked. "Do you still want to help them? This doesn't sound like a simple thing."

"I do." He answered. "It might help bring your name before Li-Ming."

"Maybe." Fan-Min said, though, in reality, she doubted that. But if her brother really wanted to help these people, then she'd do it. The reality was, if she didn't go with him he'd just get himself killed. Chances were it was Avator that stole the kids and Fan-Huang didn't stand a chance against him. He was too weak.

The Cursed Woods. Fan-Min rolled her eyes. Peasants were so simple minded. She was an arcane user and could sense that there was indeed a curse on these woods, but it was hardly a curse substantial enough to merit a name like The Cursed Woods. Whoever had cursed these woods was either very weak, or not really that invested. Many blamed the witch Adria, but from what Fan-Min had heard about Adria, a curse this puny was probably not a result of her work.

"Feel that?" Fan-Huang asked.

"I do. And I'm glad you do too." Fan-Min smiled. "It means that there is a bit of talent within you."

"What is it?"

"That's the arcane power surrounding these woods. It's the curse."

"So they really are cursed?"

"Meagerly so. But yes."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you're more likely to find yourself lost in these woods than normal woods." Fan-Min explained. "But other than that, you'll be fine."

"We're not going to get lost, are we?"

Fan-Min rolled her eyes again. Something she had become so accustomed to doing she didn't even realize when she did it. "No. I'll get us in and out. No problem."

"Good." Fan-Huang said through a smile of relief. He knew when his sister gave her word, she was good for it. Despite her abrasive and rude attitude and her total narcissism, she was a woman of her word. He also knew that without her, he'd never make it through these woods. Hell, he'd never had even made it through the desert.

The Cursed Woods that rested immediately to the northeast of New Tristram was an eerie place. Even with his arcane power, Fan-Huang found himself unsettled wandering these woods. Each tree seemed dying and hateful, like if it had the opportunity it would steal him away from the world of the living. The trees were dark, thick, and tall, blocking out most of the light the clouded sun could provide. From their branches hung various families of vines and moss, and on occasion, a skeleton or corpse. Evil lurked in these woods. Of that, there was no debate.

What made Fan-Huang worry the most was just how indistinguishable everything in the woods was. There were no landmarks. Everything looked the same. Just twisted, evil trees as far as the eye could see. In every direction, the rustling of animals, beasts, and the giggling of demons could be heard. He made sure he stayed very close behind his little sister who marched forward without a sign of concern. He knew she heard the various monsters around them, but they didn't seem to worry her in the least. He figured it must be nice being a legendarily powerful wizard that had no need to fear anything. Unfortunately, that was not him. Nor was he without fear.

"This way." Fan-Min directed.

"How do you know?"

"The children were lured away by a spell." Fan-Min explained. "Not a spell that you or I would ever be taught." She looked back at her intrigued brother. "Though all 'magic' is based on the use of arcane energy, there are some types of magic that are considered dark."

"Like?"

"Like the kind of magic that would lure innocent children out of their homes and into the clutches of demons." Fan-Min explained. "Or in other terms, Witchcraft."

"Witchcraft?" Fan-Huang asked. "Isn't that just a commoner's term for explaining magic they don't understand?"

"In some cases." Fan-Min explained. "But among arcane users, the term Witchcraft refers to arcane energy being used in conjunction with demonic energy, or powers taken from Hell itself."

"That's possible?"

"Absolutely." Fan-Min said firmly. "Just as arcane users make use of arcane energy and then combine it with the natural energies of fire, water, electricity, air, earth, and so on, so too can one pull from the energies of evil, that which come from Hell and the fabled Chaos Sanctuary to work some real evil magic."

"Sounds scary."

"Actually, it is."

"And this is that kind of evil magic?" Fan-Huang asked. "Witchcraft?"

"Yes."

"So we're following a witch?"

"Not necessarily." Fan-Min continued her teaching. "You don't have to be a textbook 'witch' to make use of witchcraft. All sorts of creatures can use witchcraft, not just humans. Consider Fallen Shamans, or Succubbi, or the Councilmen Isendra wrote about. They all made use of witchcraft."

"So we could be following a demon?"

"That's what I suspect." Fan-Min explained. "I think we're on the trail of Avator."

"The demon from our dreams."

"Right." She said as she stopped in her place. "Wait."

"What?" Fan-Huang asked, clearly nervous.

"We're surrounded." She said as she took a combative stance. Fan-Huang wasted no time in pulling out the enchanted spellbook that he had. Within seconds they were ambushed. All sorts of skeletons jumped out from behind the trees surrounding the siblings and came at them with a plethora of weapons. Fan-Min allowed an eager smile to spread across her lips. "This should be fun."

Fan-Huang looked at her like she was insane. "Let's just worry about surviving rather than having fun."

"If you die to meager skeletons, then you don't deserve to be alive." She taunted her brother as she allowed arcane orbs to leave her hands, obliterating any skeletons they came in contact with. Bones and decaying weapons flew through the air as their numbers were obliterated.

Fan-Huang jumped back as a rusted axe flew down murderously in front of him. He landed flat on his rear as the axe dug deep into the dirt between his legs. He looked up at the assaulter. The skeleton looked evil. He wasn't sure how a faceless collection of bones could look like it was evil, but something about the lifeless grin across its fleshless mouth made it so. He jumped to his feet as quickly as he could as to not give the perpetrator time to free his axe from the ground and unleashed a volley of arcane bolts at it. The purple arcane-made bolts flew the short distance from him to the skeleton and shattered its bones on impact. The armor and bones fell to the ground as lifelessly as they should have been to begin with.

He chanced a glance over at his sister. She was taking out the skeletons, one after another, like it was nothing. In fact, it actually looked like she was enjoying herself. Despite how wrong that seemed, Fan-Huang was relieved to see that in the time it had taken him to destroy one of the many skeletal ambushers, she had taken out countless. In her wake was just a scattering of bones and rusted gear.

Focusing his attention back on the task at hand, he turned to another skeleton charging at him. It thrust its aged dagger at him, but he reacted quickly. He lifted his enchanted spellbook up like a shield and allowed the dagger to get stuck in its thick binding and used the opportunity to launch another volley of arcane bolts at his new enemy. The skeleton fell to the ground just as the last did.

Fan-Huang grabbed the dagger and tried to pull it out of his precious book while doing as little damage to the binding as possible when he felt the pain of something slice through the flesh of his left shoulder. He turned to see what had happened, but saw the body of his younger sister tackling a skeleton to the ground. Lucky for him too. If the skeleton had been left undeterred, the wound would certainly have been worse. However, that didn't mean that it didn't hurt a great deal!

"Watch your back, would ya'!" Fan-Min shouted as she released a torrent of arcane energy into the empty face of the skeleton, blasting any 'life' it had out of it. As she stood up, Fan-Huang launched more arcane bolts at a few skeletons remaining and ended the fight. All-in-all it was an easy battle, but his shoulder did hurt.

"You really are useless." Fan-Min rolled her eyes as she always did as she walked over to her older brother. "Something as weak as a human skeleton and you're hurt."

"Sorry about that." He apologized. "Thanks for saving me."

"You're lucky we're related or you'd be so dead."

"You've made that pretty clear before." Fan-Huang complained.

"And it seems I'll have to keep making it clear." She looked at his shoulder. "You'll be fine as long as it doesn't get infected. It's just a flesh wound."

"I know."

"Then it shouldn't slow us down at all, should it?" Fan-Min said. It wasn't really a question so much as a demand.

"No, it won't slow us down."

They made their way through the woods at the same pace they'd had before the attack. One thing that Fan-Huang noticed was that he no longer heard the growls of beasts or laughter of demons. Either they had witnessed their fight with the skeletons and thought it unwise to attack them, or there was something else keeping the monsters at bay.

"You hear that?" He asked his sister.

"There's nothing to hear." Fan-Min replied.

"Exactly." They walked in silence. He was expecting her to say more, but she didn't. "Are we near the kidnapper?"

"We're getting pretty close." She explained. "I'm not so sure we're after Avator anymore."

"Why's that?"

"Why would Avator be hiding in the Cursed Woods?" She asked. "He seems like too much a big-shot for that."

"True."

"Something else must be taking the kids."

"But why?"

"I still think Avator's the one behind it all, but I don't think we're following his spell's trail."

"Fan-Min?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is everything so quiet?" He asked. "I have the awful feeling of something watching us."

"That's because we're being watched."

Fan-Huang felt his heart sink into his gut. "We are?"

"Yes."

"By something dangerous?"

"Yes."

"A demon?"

"No. I don't believe so." She answered. "But I can't be sure. I don't sense any arcane energy from anything around and most demons have arcane energy."

"Then how do you know we're being watched if you can't sense anything?"

"Because I'm not dumb." She explained. "There are thousands and thousands of little demons in these woods. I can sense those when they're near. None are near. That means something is scaring them away."

"For something to scare so many demons away means it must be powerful."

"Exactly."

"I hope we'll be alright."

"I will be." She said cockily. "Nothing is going to outmatch me." She looked back at her brother with a sorry smile. "Not so sure about you. I can't be expected to do everything."

"Thanks, sis."

"Wait." She said as she halted again. Fan-Huang already had his spellbook ready. He was as nervous as he could ever remember being. "Did you hear that?" She asked.

"No."

"In front of us. Bushes rustled."

"Want me to go check it out?" He asked, not wanting to, but he felt he needed to protect his little sister. It was his duty after all.

"No." Fan-Min said. "Stand your ground. It will reveal itself to us in time."

Fan-Huang stood beside his little sister. Both remained as still as the twisted trees around them, their eyes focused before them, where the bushes had rustled. Suddenly, they both felt very pointed edges digging into their backs. "Don't move." Came the dark voice of a woman.

"Dammit." Fan-Min growled.

"Who are you?" The woman asked.

"None of your concern." Fan-Min scoffed haughtily.

"Wrong answer." Came the voice and the very recognizable noise of crossbows being prepared for fire.

"My name's Fan-Huang." Fan-Huang blurted out. His sister sighed and shook her head. "This is my younger sister Fan-Min. Please don't kill us."

"You're the two Renegade Wizards that came in with the caravan from Caldeum, aren't you?"

"Yes." He answered.

"Why are you out here?"

"We're looking for the villagers' lost children."

"What concern are they to you?"

"They asked for our help, so we're helping them."

"Forgive me for not believing you, but the stories I've heard about Renegade Wizards aren't so friendly."

"Well, that's the truth." Fan-Huang insisted quietly.

"Really?"

Suddenly, Fan-Min spun around in an instant and used her arcane abilities to shove the hooded woman to the ground without even touching her. "He said it's the truth, so either believe him or kill him." She shouted. The woman hit the ground hard, but was on her feet in an instant, her crossbows aimed at them again. "Shoot all you want. You can't kill me." Fan-Min taunted her.

"I don't want to kill you." The woman said. "Not if what your brother said is true."

"It is." Fan-Min said in a voice that made it pretty clear she wasn't too thrilled about saving the village's children. "He's a softie."

"I'm trying to find the children too."

"And you haven't yet?" Fan-Min nearly laughed. "Aren't you Demon Hunters supposed to be expert trackers and hunters?"

"Well, I'm not formally trained to be a Demon Hunter."

"So you're just an imposter?"

"Whatever." The woman spat as she lowered her hood. "My name is Marina Vale. I've been living in New Tristram for some time now. Long enough to call it home."

"And so you want to save the children?"

"Right. The idea of children suffering at the hands of demons is appalling to me."

"Me too." Fan-Huang agreed timidly.

"So shall we save them together?" Marina asked. Her green eyes penetrated Fan-Huang's blues with a fierce resolve. She stood, waiting for an answer as her black hair cascaded down her nearly porcelain white skin. She stood a several inches taller than the siblings, probably close to 6 feet tall. Her garb consisted of dark leather armor covered by layers of black cloth that flowed hauntingly in the winds. In each hand were small crossbows which were a trademark weapon for the Demon Hunter clans.

Fan-Min looked at Fan-Huang indicating that he was free to make the choice. He knew that despite her protests and bitter attitude, she'd follow through with whatever he chose. If she wasn't going to, she wouldn't have allowed him the choice. So whether or not Marina Vale was to be trusted was of little consequence, because Fan-Min could handle her. He stepped forward, causing Marina to take a defensive stance. He extended his hand. "Let's work together. The kids need us."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The trio marched through the Cursed Woods under the unquestioned leadership of Fan-Min without any struggles against the wildlife or demons. They figured the combined power of them all was clear even to the lesser, unintelligent demons. They wanted nothing to do with them.

"Are we close?" Marina asked, sounding impatient. She was getting tired of following 'the arcane trail' since she herself couldn't sense it. For all she knew, the wizards were just leading her in circles.

"I believe so." Fan-Min said rather absently, like she really wasn't concerned whether or not Marina was patient or not. To Fan-Min, Marina meant very little.

"Where in the woods would someone hide a bunch of children?" Fan-Huang asked, mostly to the air.

Both the ladies just shrugged the question off with no real answer. They quested forward for another hour before Fan-Min stopped them in their tracks. "We're here." She said plainly.

Both Fan-Huang and Marina looked around questioningly. Where they were looked no different than the stretches of forest they had just marched through. And on top of that, there were no signs of any children around. Just trees and vines and dirt.

"Sorry, Sis." Fan-Huang said slowly, trying not to make his sister bite his head off. She hated being questioned or thought wrong. "I don't see any kids here."

She sighed with clear irritation. Fan-Huang couldn't see her eyes since her back was to him, but he assumed she had rolled them. "Just because they're not right in front of both your idiotic noses doesn't mean they're not here. Use your brains, morons."

"Save us the trouble." Marina said shortly. "Where are they?"

"Beneath us."

"How're they beneath us?" Fan-Huang asked. "Is there a cave or something?"

"First of all, I'm not a cartographer. How should I know if there's a cave here or not?" Fan-Min asked. "But they're beneath us."

"I wonder how we get down to them…" Fan-Huang pondered out loud.

Marina walked about the area until her senses led her to the base of an especially large and dead tree. She looked at it and the surrounding trees. They were all alive. So why would the biggest tree, with roots more able to gather water and branches more capable of reaching sunlight die before the rest?

As she examined the tree, she noticed a large hole at the base between two large, tangled roots. It was big enough to fit a body through and looked quite man-made. Immediately, she knew what they were dealing with. "The kids aren't in a cave. Not really." Marina explained.

"Where are they, then?" Fan-Huang asked walking up to the tree alongside the Demon Hunter.

"We're standing on a mass grave. And they're in it. Just below us."

Fan-Huang gasped. "They're dead?" He sounded mortified.

"No." Fan-Min said. "They're not dead. They're weak, but not dead. I can feel that much."

"So they're just in the grave?" He asked.

"Right." Fan-Min explained. "Against any normal person it'd be a very successful hiding place. But not when I'm after you." She beamed of pride.

"Why's this grave here?" Fan-Huang questioned.

"They're all over the place." Marina explained. "The people of Tristram and New Tristram and the whole surrounding region are constantly under assault by wild creatures tainted by the evil of Hell and demons in the flesh. Even their own dead have come back to assault them. People are dying like flies. The graveyards just ran full, plus with the dead rising again, it just made more sense to dispose of the bodies quickly and far away from the village." She fell silent for a few seconds. "So they'd gather large groups and come out and dump the bodies into huge holes. It was the best they could do. This must just be another one of those."

"How do we get in?" Fan-Min asked sounding a bit annoyed. "You don't expect me to dig through the dirt, do you?"

"As much as I'd love to see that…" Marina started, bringing a fierce scowl out of Fan-Min. "That won't be necessary. See this large hole in the tree? It's pretty much a door. I have a rope, so we can just climb down."

"Honestly, that doesn't sound much better." She complained.

"You could wait up here." Fan-Huang suggested, trying to comfort his sister.

She laughed out loud. "Right." She laughed some more. "And leave you to fight off whatever's with those kids?" She placed her tiny hand on her brother's shoulder. "I wish that was an option." She looked with genuine laughter in her eyes into her brother's blues. "But you and I both know that's not an option."

Reluctantly, she approached the hole next to Marina. "Ready?" The Demon Hunter asked. Fan-Min nodded. With that, Marina tossed the rope down into the black hole and climbed down. The wizards watched as she faded into the darkness.

"I can go first." Fan-Huang offered.

His sister _psh'd_ at the suggestion. "Please. I'm your sister." She smirked. "Don't try to act tough in front of me. I know you." Fan-Huang just shrugged and let his sister descend first.

Climbing down the rope actually proved to be difficult for both of the wizards. It really wasn't a part of their Yshari Sanctum education. Fan-Huang couldn't help but figure that Kazur would probably have shimmied down without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, he and his sister were built nothing like the large man.

The mass grave was dark, save the torch that Marina was holding up and the very small amount of light that seeped through the hole they had climbed down through. The floor was squishy and hard to balance on. Confused, Fan-Huang looked down and became all too aware of why. They were standing on piles of decomposing bodies. Men, women, and children. They looked like they had died at different times from different things, but were all decaying together. The realization and smell about made the young wizard gag.

"Where'd you get the light?" Fan-Min asked.

"I may not be a legitimate blood-born Demon Hunter, but I'm still equipped for all situations." As she held the light in the air, illuminating much of the stinking pit, they realized there was a small hole leading to another area. "I'm guessing that way."

Together, they crossed the squishy corpse floor and made their way quietly into the other alcove. As they approached through the darkness, they could hear eerie singing. Fan-Min knew this was what they were looking for. "He's here."

"But that doesn't sound like Avator." Fan-Huang added.

"Avator?" Marina asked.

"We'll explain later." Fan-Min responded quietly. "For now, let's save the kids."

The room entered into was clearly what they were looking for. In it were the children from the village, probably about 20 total, and they were floating hauntingly just several inches above the ground with their eyes closed, as if they were in comas. Each one of them gave off a faint glow, like the dying flame on a melted down candle. The whole scene was enough to chill the group to their bones.

In front of the mass of children was the source of the singing. A small Dark Fairy fluttered at the far end of the room with obvious evil intent. As he was singing, each light from each child broke, just a small segment off, like a cell breaking into two, and floated toward the Dark Fairy, who had a Soul Crystal resting before him. Each broken segment of the children's lights floated into the crystal and caused the Soul Crystal to glow.

"Stop it!" Fan-Huang shouted as he ran toward the fairy through the floating children. He wasn't sure what the Dark Fairy was doing, but he could tell by instinct that it was no good.

The Dark Fairy stopped his singing and immediately the glowing stopped and the children all fell to the ground with a cacophony of thuds. "Wizard." The Fairy hissed.

"And who are you?" Fan-Min asked arrogantly, not seeming the least bit concerned about the enemy beyond understanding who he was. "I was hoping to find Avator here so I could end his pathetic existence."

"There is nothing pathetic about my lord." The Dark Fairy responded, obviously offended. "He's powerful and great!"

"And who are you to call him lord?" She asked.

"I'm his humble servant and friend, Rin."

"Rin." Fan-Min spat the name. "You're going to wish your mother had never spawned you."

"I killed my mother."

"And now you're going to die" She threatened.

"I don't think so." He giggled as a dark purple aura began to glow about him. It traveled through the dark room and settled into various locations in the walls. "I'm not alone, you know."

At that moment, terrifying specters flew out from the walls. They didn't look like the ghosts of humans. Their bodies were nothing more than what looked to be the equivalent to torn up robes. Their faces were that of skulls, but it looked as if someone had grabbed the bottom jaw and pulled so hard the skull actually stretched as if it was made from jelly. Each specter's hands were terrifying and sharp scythe-like blades. Nothing about these ghosts looked friendly.

"Is that all you've got?" Fan-Min taunted as the evil spirits descended on them like horrifying vultures to a fresh kill. "Ready yourselves." She ordered her comrades.

The room exploded into an adrenaline-fueled flurry of spells, dodges, and flying bolts as the sounds of haunting screams and war-cries echoed through the dark underground chamber. Fan-Min was glad that she wasn't Marina. Bolts wouldn't do much good against ghosts, unless if she had enchanted bolts, which any Demon Hunter worth his weight would. However, Arcane Energy was especially useful against the spirits. Fighting off the hordes of specters was simple. She ducked and weaved as she blasted Arcane Orbs and Bolts at the various flying monsters. Their scythe-hands came close at many points to slashing her open, but no more close than she allowed just so she could get her best shot in.

Seeing that his ghastly goons were being picked off like a wizard's target practice, Rin grabbed the Soul Crystal and fluttered up in an attempt to escape. This didn't go unnoticed by the one particularly powerful Renegade Wizard. She bolted across the room as fast as he short legs would carry her, disregarding any concern for the children. She kicked and stepped on many of their slumbering bodies to get to Rin. She was just about to get within range when she heard the dramatic scream of her older brother. She glanced his way. He was on the ground and surrounded by four specters. There was no way he was going to save himself. She knew if she didn't act he'd be dead. Marina had her own problems to deal with. On the other hand, if she helped Fan-Huang, she knew Rin would get away with the Soul Crystal. The decision was harder than she'd ever admit openly, but she shot one final glare at the Dark Fairy, and turned to save her hopeless brother.

She flew across the room in record time and unleashed her powerful spell, Disintegrate. Fan-Huang recognized it immediately and brought himself as low to the ground as he could. Marina, having taken quick notice of the male wizard's frightened reaction and the power-hungry expression on the female wizard's face also threw herself to the ground. Fan-Min let the destructive beam of arcane energy pummel the room unhindered, whipping herself back and forth to ensure she spotted and annihilated every last ghost.

She allowed the beam to tear into the walls and burn through any tree roots exposed under the dirt. Finally, her brother lunged up and hugged her tightly. "Stop, Fan-Min!" He shouted. "You got them all." She just glared at him and continued to let the beam devour the wall opposite them. "If you continue you'll bring the entire roof in on us!"

"Maybe I should!" She shouted, angry eyes digging into her brother's. She finally stopped her spell and shoved her brother hard. "I had him!" She screamed before she stomped over to him and smacked him. Then she smacked him again. And again. "I HAD HIM!" She screamed all the louder. She could see tears swelling up in her brother's eyes, tears of guilt and regret. She could feel tears in her own eyes. Different ones, though. Tears of anger. She smacked Fan-Huang again and again. Finally, Marina ran up behind her and pulled her off of her brother, but not before she screamed again. "I HAD HIM!"

"I'm sorry." Fan-Huang said quietly, through broken words. "I'm sorry."

Fan-Min huffed as she shook Marina off of her. "I knew I shouldn't have brought you."

"Calm down, Fan-Min." Marina said through shocked and concerned eyes. "We'll get him."

Fan-Min stomped hatefully up to Marina, her nose would have been so close it would have touched Marina's if she wasn't so short, and she glared fiercely into her eyes, a dreadful fire burning in them. "You!" She seethed. "Stay out of this."

Marina went over to Fan-Huang and helped him off the ground with a sympathetic frown. "Let me check those wounds." He accepted her help off the ground, but brushed off her offer for a check-up.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine."

"Is she always like that?"

"More often than you'd care to see." He laughed humorlessly. "She's very…" He didn't know the right words. "Determined."

"I'd say so."

"Anyway…" He said trying to suppress the emotional pain he was in. It never felt good having his only family around act out so hatefully toward him. Like he was less than useless. Like he was a hindrance. Which, in reality, he knew he was to some degree. But he had to believe there was something good about him too. That's what Kazur had always assured him. He couldn't hold it back any longer. He began to cry. He was so sick of being away from home. Away from Kazur. He loved his sister, but he couldn't bear her alone all the time. He needed someone to help him. He wondered where Kazur was.

"What's wrong?" Marina asked awkwardly, not really that good with emotional stuff.

"I'm fine." Fan-Huang insisted as he watched his sister head back to the main section of the grave, presumably to climb back out. "Let's just get these children home."

"Up a rope?"

"It won't be easy?" Fan-Huang questioned jokingly.

"We'll just have to tie it around them and pull them up one-by-one."

"Agreed."

With that, they got to work. It took hours, but they got it done, and Fan-Min was able to silently lead them back to New Tristram through the Cursed Woods with her arcane abilities.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

As the sun had been setting over New Tristram, the trio had returned the mostly uninjured children back to the village, allowing each family to regather their members. The village had celebrated the Renegade Wizards and Demon Hunter, but it was easy to tell that Fan-Min, though she did enjoy the praise a bit, was more interested in the praise of someone far more important to her. She left back to their room in the Slaughtered Calf Inn and went to bed immediately. Fan-Haung had followed just a few minutes later after bidding Marina Vale a civilized farewell.

Fan-Huang arrived in the room to find Fan-Min intentionally hogging the entire bed. It was fine. She wasn't really on the top of his favorites list at the moment either. Removing his overly intricate wizard's apparel, he curled up on the floor under the warmth of a heavy blanket in the chest at the foot of the bed. The fire was burning low, but enough to provide some light and a decent amount of warmth. After all he'd been through, it didn't take the young wizard long at all to slip out of the land of the aware and into the darkness of slumber.

Hours passed by before Fan-Min, certain that her brother was asleep, slipped out of her bed. She had had the covers pulled all the way up to her chin to cover the fact that she was still dressed in her wizard's gear. As quietly as possible, which for such a small girl was pretty quietly, she crossed the room and left the inn without once looking back.

The sun was long dead and the moon was shining brightly overhead. This was how she should have left the Yshari Sanctum in the first place. This was how she should have gone about her quest to find Li-Ming to begin with. Alone.

Without alerting anyone to what she was up to, Fan-Min snuck out of the village and back into the Cursed Woods. Soul Crystals were arcane artifacts. If she got close enough she knew she could feel it. Given that she had encountered the Dark Fairy Rin in the Cursed Woods, it seemed as good a place as any to begin her search. Regardless of whether or not this would attract Li-Ming's attention, she was going to kill Rin, and then she was going to butcher Avator. Rin had made this personal when he got away. No one got away from Fan-Min.

As she took her last step from within the limits of the village, she glanced back just once, to see if her brother was following her. He was useless and usually in the way, but they were family. Even if it seemed to him that that didn't mean anything to her, it did. That's why she should have gone about this alone. He was in danger every second he was with her. The work she was going to be doing was going to be dangerous. He wasn't ready for it. He'd be better off left behind. Maybe Kazur would find him if he stayed put. She laughed to herself. He wouldn't stay put. As soon as he woke up and realized she was gone, Fan-Huang was going to be on her trail like a hunting dog. That's why she knew she needed to be fast and precise. She didn't want him catching her and then being a target to Avator. Besides, it would look more impressive to Li-Ming if she handled this all by herself.

Marina Vale watched as the young female Renegade Wizard left the village under the cloak of night. It was curious to her that she was without her brother, but given her outburst earlier, it wasn't too curious. The wizard slipped out of town and Marina watched her go back into the depths of the Cursed Woods. Without a hint of concern, the Demon Hunter drifted back to sleep on a large branch of an old tree near the Slaughtered Calf Inn. She wasn't really sure if the village was safer with Fan-Min gone, or if somehow that bitter woman was an asset to the town.

Hours went by before the sun shone above the rickety rooftops of the cursed village of New Tristram. Fan-Huang woke up ready to apologize and possibly fight with his proud sister. However, when he scanned the room, he was alone. "Maybe she's out getting something to eat or something." He said quietly to himself.

He wandered throughout the Slaughtered Calf Inn in search of Fan-Min, but found her nowhere. Finally, he headed out into the village. As he looked about the area from in front of the inn, he came up empty.

"She's gone." Came a familiar voice.

Fan-Huang looked about until he spotted Marina Vale resting on the branch of a nearby tree. "What do you mean?"

"She left without you." She shrugged and jumped down from the tree. "Sorry, boy."

"Where'd she go?"

"The Cursed Woods."

Fan-Huang sighed with clear frustration. "Seriously?" He complained to himself. "I've come this far with you and you just ditched me?"

"She was pretty mad yesterday."

"She's always mad."

"Then why do you stick around with her?" Marina questioned as she stood casually before the wizard.

"She's my sister."

"Lots of people have sisters." The Demon Hunter stated. "That doesn't mean you're required to be together all the time."

"She's all I have left."

"Ah." Marina nodded in understanding. "Then what are you going to do?"

"Find her." He said with a plain face, like it should have been obvious. He headed back into the inn and gathered his belongings and prepared himself. Once ready, he darted back out of the inn and toward the Cursed Woods. As he approached the village's exit, he noticed Marina standing at the doors.

"What do you want?"

"I'm coming with you." She said matter-of-factly.

"Why?" Fan-Huang stopped in confusion and a bit of shock. "You barely know me."

"I know you're weak." Marina stated. "You'd never survive out there alone."

"I'll manage." Fan-Huang said in faux-confidence as he marched out of the village. "Watch me."

"I plan on it." She said as she caught up and walked beside him. "Plus, you're a Renegade Wizard. Word has it spellcasters like you are dangerous to be left free."

"Are you going to kill me?"

"Obviously not." She laughed. "Or I wouldn't be here with you." She walked alongside him a bit more in silence. "But I am going to keep an eye on you."

"Suit yourself."

"Plus, we're hunting a demon." She looked at him with a smirk and lifted one of her crossbows up to make a point. "I'm a Demon Hunter. This is kinda' my thing."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The sky was dark and the air chilly, at least in comparison to the desert Kazur had become accustomed to living in the Yshari Sanctum for just about his entire life of 25 years, as his caravan entered into the limits of New Tristram. The town seemed to be quite stirred up, by what, no one in the caravan could quickly identify.

Kazur had kept his agreement to the traders. They had given him a wagon to ride in and fed him, and in return he had kept them safe from more desert demons than he'd expected. Fortunately for them, he was an impressive combatant. Now, his contract with them was fulfilled and he split from them without much in the ways of farewell.

As any level-headed person on the search for other persons would do, he made his way into the nearest inn he could locate. In the case of New Tristram, this meant only one establishment: The Slaughtered Calf Inn.

Inside was a great deal warmer, which was welcomed by the large amount of exposed skin on his large body, which had become covered in goosebumps for the last many hours, at least since they had been near the Tamoe Mountains.

He, unbeknownst to him, acted in perfect imitation of his younger siblings the moment he entered the inn. Kazur bolted straight for the fireplace and warmed his freezing skin up. All eyes in the inn fell on the giant, handsome arcane user. While they were certainly weren't strangers to arcane users and warriors passing through, this one was particularly large and particularly handsome. A welcomed feature to the town from their typical bruised, maimed, and scarred heroes that visited.

The innkeeper, well aware that such a solo hero didn't just wander in because he wanted to vacation in New Tristram, approached the man a bit cautiously. It was never a guarantee that such a being was friendly. Every day was a risk in their world, even when just dealing with other humans. "Can I help you, sir?"

Kazur rose to his full intimidating height and smiled down at the man, immediately easing the anxiety he was feeling. "I hope so." His voice was deep and would have been equally intimidating had it not been soaked in a charming smile and a friendly tone.

"How so?"

"I'm looking for a couple of wizards." Kazur explained.

"Well..." The innkeeper leaned in close to the big man, who in turn leaned down so he could be at the same level. "I know passing this kind of information can be dangerous, but since it's pretty clear that you're from the Yshari Sanctum, I'll tell you."

"Okay." Kazur said quietly with a confused face. He had no idea what this man was acting all afraid over.

"We had two Renegade Wizards pass through here. They both just left, one last night, and the other this morning." He looked around nervously. "Now we're all worried that the wizard clans are going to come looking for them. You know that being a Renegade Wizard is incredibly dangerous. The clans don't care how they get their prey. They just want them, and I don't want to be in the path when they come looking for them."

"I won't tell anyone." Kazur promised him. "Nor am I here to start up trouble. They're my friends and I want to catch up to them."

"You're not trying to capture them?" The innkeeper looked Kazur over more closely. "Wait." He said, shocked. "Aren't you from the Yshari Sanctum?"

"Yes, but so were those two Renegade Wizards." Kazur explained. "I'm a Renegade Wizard, but I assure you, we're not here to cause you trouble."

"Well, they left." The innkeeper said sternly. "We've had nothing but terrible fortune since this town was built, and those two wizards just seemed to usher in more."

"How so?"

"Once they came so did a strange attack from some of the villagers. And then the kids all vanished." The man looked at Kazur with obvious fear in his eyes.

"Then why did everyone look like they were so stirred up when I arrived?" Kazur asked. "Was it because the kids went missing?"

"No." He answered. "Because the kids are back."

"They're back?"

"Yeah. The wizards brought them back." He seemed conflicted. A short pause brought a pregnant silence to the warm fireplace area. "But that doesn't excuse them from bringing the trouble to begin with."

"Just be glad they brought the kids back." Kazur instructed him gently, but sternly. "Now, do you know where they went?"

"No, sorry." He said genuinely. "I just know they left."

"How?"

"They stayed at this inn for a couple nights."

"I see." Kazur said. "Thanks."

After warming up in the inn over a hot meal and soaking in a nice bath, Kazur made his way back into the chilled air of New Tristram. He had no idea where Fan-Huang and Min were heading, but he figured he knew a way to figure it out. He stepped out of sight, behind a few tents that seemed to be unoccupied at the moment, and sat down for meditation. He was going to bring a premonition or a vision to himself. He was never sure which, but he could do it pretty much without fail.

As he focused his arcane energy toward the back of his eyes, in his mind, his eyes rolled back. Stretching out his mind to see where his little brother had run off to, he was blocked off by something unexpected and quite terrifying.

What he was blocked by was a large man, even larger than he was, with dark eyes and a wicked looking fairy sitting on his shoulder, marching an army of horrid demons and creatures into New Tristram. The village was on fire, every single building, and every life within the town was snuffed out. Screams echoed through the skies and smoke blocked out the sun. It hadn't been a battle. It hadn't been a war. It had been a massacre, and nothing more. The villagers were slaughtered like animals, and for no reason that Kazur could determine.

As the vision wrecked his body and mind, he quickly forced himself out of his vision as best he could. Sometimes he could manage, but other times the vision captured him. This time, he had succeeded. His chilled body was covered in sweat. He could feel the droplets of salty water running down his forehead and dripping off his nose. That was intense!

But it didn't give him the answer he was looking for. Where was Fan-Huang?

A bit nervous, he decided to give it one more try, hoping desperately that he didn't receive another invasive vision like that last. Once his eyes had rolled back again, he was greeted by a much more desired vision. It was of Fan-Huang. He was in the woods. The trees were dark and twisted. He was battling demons, but not as many as Kazur would have expected. He was traveling as if he was on a mission. With him was a woman, but it wasn't his sister. Where was his sister? Kazur focused on her. He saw a stone tower that looked mere moments from toppling over. She was entering it's dark bowels. The tower. Where was it? What was it? He focused on it. A vision appeared to him. A woman. Wealthy. Twisted. Evil. She was bathing in blood. It was her tower. She sought everlasting youth, but brought nothing more than demonic corruption upon herself.

Finally, Kazur was forced out of his vision, weak and exhausted. He had used every ounce of arcane energy he had on the vision. He'd have to take it easy for a while to regain his energy before he tried to do anything else like that.

He thought about what he had seen. Those twisted trees. He looked around the town. On one side of New Tristram was a deep forest. Examining the trees from within the village at a distance he could easily make out the mangled and twisted nature of their appearances. That was the forest. He knew it from his studies. The Cursed Woods. It was large and significant enough to be written onto a map. He could feel the curse over it. It was minor, but still present. He wasn't too worried, though. Once his arcane energy was back, which it would naturally recover over time, maybe an hour or two, he could handle the curse easily.

His thoughts traveled to Fan-Min and the strange tower he had seen her entering. What was that? And the woman within it. Who was she? He thought as hard as he could. He'd read so many history books and lore scrolls at the Yshari Sanctum. Surely, he had knowledge of that woman if she had significance. The bathing in blood... That wasn't normal. That could stand out as significant. Who had he read of that bathed in blood to gain everlasting youth? He thought and thought. Finally, it his him. The Countess! She wasn't known by any other name. Just her title was enough to strike fear into the lands around her. She had a castle, but that had long passed away. According to the Moldy Tome at the Yshari Sanctum, which he believed Isendra herself had brought in, there now only remained a single tower. The Countess had been put to death in the dungeons of that tower by the clergy back in the time of Old Tristram. That tower was supposedly in the Black Marsh, but where? The Black Marsh was an enormous, undeveloped wilderness infested with deadly creatures, lost souls, and wicked demons.

Despite all that, Kazur knew he needed to find it. He had seen Fan-Min go in. That meant she would go in. He also saw Fan-Huang wandering the Cursed Woods with some other woman. He wasn't one too keen on wandering the wilderness with demons and putting himself in danger. There's only two reasons he'd do such a reckless thing. One: Kazur. Obvious to him, that wasn't the reason. The second: Fan-Min. Kazur knew he was right. Fan-Huang was in pursuit of his little sister. He was persistent. He'd not stop until he found her. So, if she had gone into the tower, then Fan-Huang would surely head to the tower. That would mean he'd cross through the Cursed Woods and make his way to the Black Marsh.

Kazur could catch him. Of that, he was sure. Fan-Huang was determined, but so was he. The difference was that Kazur was the stronger fighter and the quicker traveler. He'd catch him. That was for sure. His fear was whether or not he could catch him before that woman with him hurt him. He had no idea who she was. Or even worse, before his vision of Fan-Min obliterating him came true. Time was not on his side.

With determination, Kazur stood and faced the Cursed Woods. He clenched his fists and he prepared himself for a trying trip. He was going to have to push himself as hard as he could, and he would. Nothing would stop him from rescuing his little brother and sister. They were all he had. Without bothering to look back at the village he had just arrived at, he ran as quickly as he could without running out of stamina too quickly, into the Cursed Woods. He needed to save his family.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

The Black Marsh was as repulsive and demon-infested as the tales made it out to be. Fan-Min hated tromping through the wet, slimy terrain with nothing but damp, dead-looking foliage all around her. The cries of animals being attacked and who knows what else echoed through the wild area. She'd never have stepped foot in the marsh if she wasn't so sure that the arcane energy she was sensing was coming from somewhere within.

She was glad that no one was with her. A reputation was a fragile thing to maintain, and she had put in exceptional work to forming hers. However, despite her exceptional abilities with the arcane and in combat, she was feeling the exhaustion that was guaranteed with such long travels on foot and endless battles against the hordes of weak and some more considerable demons that wandered the deserted lands surrounding the Black Marsh.

Fan-Min couldn't help but wonder what life had been like back before the Prime Evils corrupted the lands with their presence. There was clearly a time that these lands were livable. Remnants of houses, stables, churches, and all other sorts of human architecture could be found scattered all around the land. Even the Cursed Woods and Black Marsh had the skeletons of a once safe civilization sprinkled about their undesirable terrains. It must have been nice, but, she thought a bit more cockily, probably a bit boring. Without demons and tainted creatures to fight every step of the way, what good would it do someone to be a master of the arcane?

It was more hours than she had kept track of before her wandering through the mucky marsh showed fruition. She could tell that she was close to the source of the arcane energy, a very evil and demonic presence. She figured even Fan-Huang could have felt it from where she was. Hopefully he was nowhere nearby. Whatever Fan-Min was about to face, she could tell it was powerful. She assumed it was Avator, whatever he truly was, and she knew her brother didn't stand a chance against him.

The young female wizard stood at the base of a rickety tower made of ancient stones. She could see that the nature, as twisted as it had become due to the influence of Diablo, Andarial, and now Avator, was slowly enveloping and overtaking the tower. In a few years she speculated the tower wouldn't even be visible anymore. It'd be just another lost relic of a once existing settlement.

As creepy as the tower was, even to her with her immense power, she knew she couldn't turn back. She had not marched through the Cursed Woods which seamlessly became the Dark Wood to anyone that could navigate through them, and then ultimately the Black Marsh just to turn back like a coward. She was going to do this, not just to get Li-Ming's attention, but also to stop her brother from trying to do it. As angry as she was at him, and as annoying as he could be, he was her brother. She didn't want him hurt or killed. It was best for them all if she took care of this herself. She didn't need him. She had enough power herself. She would be the next Li-Ming. She would be spoken of alongside Isendra and Tal Rasha. She would prove it within the tower resting before her.

She entered the tower through the broken-down door in what she assumed used to be the front. It was empty inside. Just a huge square room made entirely of stone walls, ceiling, and floor. The only thing that rested in the dark chamber was a single wooden ladder leading down a hole in the floor by the far wall. She approached it without fear and descended into the darkness.

Fan-Min couldn't see a thing down in the lower level of the tower. What she assumed was that she was alone. Standing as still and quietly as she could, not even a whisper or a tap of a foot reached her focused ears. Not even a ghost could be as quiet as the tower was. Ready to move forward, Fan-Min created a small arcane flame in her hand and held it high above her head. It lit the room up like a miniature candelabra.

The entire floor was abandoned. The floor was stone and dirty. Walls winded around like a small labyrinth through the dark. Every once and a while she would walk by a dilapidated chest or tattered piece of furnishing. There were some faded mirrors and cobweb-covered paintings hanging here and there on the forgotten walls showing that there was once someone dwelling in this forsaken place.

The more and more she ventured into the gut of the tower, the more and more ladders she found continuing down even deeper. A part of her felt like she was descending right into Hell. The deeper she got the more skeletal remains she found and the more dried blood rested on the dated walls. She was half-expecting to walk through a door and find herself in the Chaos Sanctuary. That was an experience even she was afraid of. She knew Li-Ming had never faced such a challenge, which was why she figured she could compare to the Renegade Wizard, but Isendra had literally walked by choice into the River of Flame right into the heart of the Chaos Sanctuary. As much as she wanted to compare herself to Isendra, she wasn't entirely sure if she ever could. But that wasn't about to stop her from trying.

She finally reached a floor that seemed different from the rest. While the other floors had seemed un-decorated and underwhelming in appearance, this floor was incredibly lavish. The narrow hallways were clothed with an expensive-looking red rug and large golden chandeliers. On the walls were all sorts of decorative trinkets with various sparkling gems embedded in them. There were large paintings, each of the same woman. She looked wealthy and youthful. She was gorgeous, but at the same time, frightful. Even in a still painting, Fan-Min felt as if her eyes were stalking her, a warning not to proceed farther.

The hallway ended at another ladder leading down, but before she descended, something caught her eyes. The room to the right of the ladder was enormous. It took up more of the floor space on this level than any other room. Fan-Min entered it cautiously. It seemed like a harmless room, but she could tell that a lot of harm had been committed in here. It was a bathing room. Decorated better than mountains of gold could afford, the room merely sat as a place to house the most treasured fixture in the entire tower: a large, ornate bathtub.

Fan-Min inspected the large tub, a chill running through her. She was no idiot. She had read the scrolls and tomes in the Yshari Sanctum's library. She hadn't realized it when she first entered, but this was the spectacle she needed to understand where she was. This was once the castle of The Countess. She was known for her cruel tyranny over the people around her. She would kidnap the neighboring village's young maidens and bathe in their blood. All in an effort to maintain her youth forever. This was her tub. This was her home. What was now known as The Forgotten Tower.

"This place chills me to the bones." Fan-Min said to herself, suddenly even more eager to get this all over with so she could get out of the dark pits of the tower. Feeling a bit uncomfortable knowing where she was, she continued her descent to find the demonic source of the arcane trail she was following. Whoever, or whatever it was, was definitely in this tower.

The next floor wasn't like any of the previous ones. It wasn't empty. The moment Fan-Min's feet made contact with the stone floor, she was under assault. She reacted quickly, though. Immediately sending out arcane orbs with her free hand, she could make out the horde before her. Each orb exploded on contact, creating enough light for a split second to see what sought her life before her, and also sending disembodied limbs and blood showering across the narrow hall. Half of it landed on the walls and floor, the other half landed on Fan-Min, making her look more intimidating than she already did.

The hallway was long and dark, but perfect for Fan-Min's particular abilities. With small goblin and ghouls clutching her legs and clawing at her waist, she focused her energy and shot out her Disintegrate spell. All at once, a horde of menacing shrieks vibrated from wall to wall in the dark hallway as countless demons died. A smirk crossed Fan-Min's mouth as she obliterated demon after demon. As she carefully guided her powerful blast, she quickly cut the spell off as she noticed some of the assailants charging her were not demons. They were mind-controlled humans most likely from around New Tristram. Unsure of what to do, she focused her spells on the obvious demonic figures in the dark. She began shooting arcane bolts. Each one giving a meager amount of light off as they traveled across the room like little magical arrows aimed to mortally wound the wizard's enemies. With the meager amount of light provided, Fan-Min could tell it was over for her. She had fought hard, but despite the countless demons she had melted from existence, there were still innumerable amounts crowding the hall. She couldn't take them all out, especially not with innocent humans mingled in.

Finally, the horde of demons overcame her, but to her surprise, she wasn't killed. Rather, they subdued her and led her through the un-penetrable darkness to who-knows-where. The only thing she could think of at the moment was, much to even her surprise, not Li-Ming. It was Fan-Huang. She knew he was pursuing her. He was just that kind of brother. If he found his way here, he was as good as had. She hoped against hope that he had just stayed in New Tristram, but what were the chances of that?


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Fan-Huang and Marina Vale battled their way through the Cursed Woods in pursuit of his younger sister. While his abilities were nothing in comparison to his sister, he could feel a faint sense in the air that he attributed to her arcane energy. He'd never really noticed it before because he'd spent his whole life completely surrounded by people with considerable arcane energy. It was just normal to him. Plus, Fan-Min had left a pretty gory trail of demonic corpses and body parts in her wake. Tracking her wouldn't be too difficult. The hard part would be keeping himself alive until he reunited with her.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Marina asked as she surveyed their surroundings. Every inch of the woods looked identical. How could anyone find their way through the woods? Plus, it seemed like the trees sprouted legs whenever they weren't being watched so they could relocate themselves just to confuse any unfortunate travelers.

"Aren't Demon Hunters supposed to be excellent trackers and navigators?" Fan-Huang asked over his shoulder. "Why don't you tell me?"

"About that..." She sounded a bit embarrassed. "I can shoot a bolt as well as anyone else." She laughed a bit to lighten her embarrassing confession. "But I can't find my way out of a wooden barrel if I needed to."

"Can you track?"

"I can." She admitted. "But I've always been tracking animals and demons." She confessed. "Something tells me that Renegade Wizards are better at covering their tracks."

"Do you see all this?" Fan-Huang asked through what was almost a laugh as he held his hands out to display the surroundings around them. There was blood and carnage all around. "She's not covering her tracks." He looked at Marina. "She did all this."

"Your sister is that powerful?"

"You saw her in the mass grave."

"Yeah..." Her voice was faint.

"Nothing gets in her way."

"She sounds dangerous."

"She'll be the greatest hero you've ever met."

"I hope you're right."

They followed the trail of blood through the woods until they ran into another group of demons that had gathered around to survey the post-battle results. Marina jumped up alongside Fan-Huang and drew her crossbows. "Ready yourself." She commanded him. "This'll get ugly."

The two of them prepared for the battle. Fan-Huang looked around. The group had gathered around what was now a broken, and rickety bridge over a misty chasm. He had no idea what was lying below, but he figured they needed to cross it to get to Fan-Min.

Marina began launching bolts at the group, one right after another, before Fan-Huang pushed her crossbows down and shouted. "Wait!" She looked at him in shock as the demons began charging them. "There are possessed humans!" He pointed out. She surveyed the enemy group. He was right. There were humans in the mass. They wielded various farming tools and looked like they had absolutely no thoughts passing through their heads. "We can't kill them." He instructed Marina. She couldn't have agreed more. Her mission was to protect humans from the threat of demons, not to hunt them like there was no difference.

Before they were ready, Fan-Huang and Marina had to dodge to avoid the first charging demon, a horrible looking behemoth with large curled horns on its head. "He's mine." Marina hissed as she swung her crossbows around and took shot after shot at the beast. It turned its full attention over to her and bucked and swung its head in a wild attempt to gore her with his enormous horns.

Fan-Huang's attention was on the larger group of less intimidating, but probably just as dangerous, group of demons. With his enchanted spellbook out, he charged the monsters. Not because he was brave, but because he wanted to ensure that he was out of Marina's way, and more importantly, her aim, as she fought the big demon. He'd fight the smaller ones closer to the cliff.

He recognized the demons from the Yshari Sanctum. They were The Fallen. They were small, twisted creatures that enjoyed feasting on the flesh of humans. Their origins, according to the scrolls of the Yshari Sanctum, were from the armies of the Evil from Hell, Azmodan. However, when they followed Azmodan in a rebellion against the Prime Evils, Diablo himself twisted them into the now small in stature creatures they existed as.

Fan-Huang had read that they were pack-creatures, that usually followed the orders of a higher ranking Fallen, often a Shaman. He kept his eyes peeled for a shaman, and quickly recognized one. It was taller than the rest and dressed with tribal-looking grass clothing. He needed to kill that one. He was the most dangerous.

Using his spellbook, Fan-Huang launched arcane orbs at the crowd of little Fallens. Given the number of them, it was practically impossible for him to miss, and he didn't. The orb collided with one of the front Fallens charging him and exploded in an arcane burst. The Fallen fell to the floor dead. This immediately caused the other Fallens to scatter in fear. He took the chance to charge through them toward the Fallen Shaman. However, as he approached the shaman, the possessed humans jumped in his way.

He halted and took in his surroundings. How could he move these villagers without hurting them? As he scoped things out, he heard a strange gurgling noise. He turned around and saw the dead Fallen shaking violently. Before he knew what was happening, the Fallen was back alive and ready to attack. He recognized that the magic that had brought the monster back to life originated in the shaman. He needed to kill the shaman if he hoped to get anything done.

He looked back just as a villager was about to impale him on a rusty pitchfork. He quickly fell backwards to avoid the blow. "Shut your eyes!" Came the loud voice of Marina. He did what he was told and immediately heard a quick explosion and could see through his shut eyelids a bright flash of light.

Once he peeked his eyes open, he saw all the demons and possessed men shielding their eyes like they had been blinded. "Now!" Marina screamed. He didn't miss a beat. He charged around the blinded men and sent his arcane energy out from him in a forced push. The energy collided into the shaman and sent the creature hard into the rickety fencing of the dilapidated bridge. As his body smashed into it, the fence gave a bit, breaking where the impact occurred.

"I've got you!" Fan-Huang shouted with an unfamiliar confidence. For just a second he felt like Fan-Min, overcoming demons. But in reality, he knew that these were just small fries. Fan-Min would have had them dead before even needing to blink. Brushing his thoughts from his head, he focused on the task at hand: killing the shaman. He focused his arcane energy again and sent it out again toward the shaman. It collided again, but this time the force broke the fencing and the shaman plummeted to its death.

"Nice!" Marina complimented him. He turned to rejoin the rest of the battle and saw nothing but dead Fallen strewn across the damp floor of the Cursed Woods. She'd already taken care of the rest of them. Fan-Huang's pride and confidence melted away at how talented the woman was.

Before he had a chance to answer her, she was tackling villagers to the ground and restraining them in ropes. Fan-Huang approached them and examined them. They were definitely possessed. "What do we do?" He asked.

"I have no idea." Marina answered. "Can't you break the spell?"

"I don't know."

"Don't you learn about stuff like this?"

"A bit."

"Can you or can't you?"

"I can try." With those words, he placed his index finger and middle finger against the forehead of a large, sweaty man. Fan-Huang closed his eyes and could feel the presence of whatever was possessing the villagers. He pushed a bit, trying to loosen the grip whatever this creature was had on him. He pushed a bit more, but the possessor was too strong. It was like pushing against a thick, brick wall in the man's head. There was no way he could break down the spell possessing the man.

"Any luck?" Marina asked, sounding hopeful. Fan-Huang ignored her and pressed a bit harder. Nothing. He pushed as hard as he could, but nothing. Then, suddenly, the villager snapped out of it.

"Where am I?" The man asked, seemingly clueless to what had happened.

"The Cursed Woods." Marina explained. Fan-Huang just stared at him bewildered. "Do you know how to get home?"

"No." The man said.

"Follow the blood trail." Fan-Huang explained. "It goes back to New Tristram."

Suddenly, the rest of the villagers woke up. They explained the situation to them and sent them on their way back to the village. Marina placed a proud hand on Fan-Huang's shoulder. "Excellent work." She complimented him through what almost looked like a smile.

"I didn't do anything."

"Yes you did." She responded. "I saw you doing it."

"I tried to, sure." He said confused. "But in the end I was too weak. I couldn't break the spell."

"Then why are they walking safely back to New Tristram?"

"It was like the spell was just lifted." Fan-Huang explained. "Like whoever was possessing them didn't need them anymore."

"Either way..." She headed toward the bridge. "They're free." She stopped in front of the rickety bridge. "Let's go. We have a sister to catch up to."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Fan-Min woke up to a sudden stinging pain on her cheek. As she flicked her eyes open, she realized she had been slapped. Hard. Taking in her surroundings, she was still in the Forgotten Tower once owned by the Countess. Her hands were shackled above her by chains connected and tightened to the ceiling. Her feet were free, but she could barely reach the floor, forced to constantly stand on her toes or she'd suffer immense pain from her arms being pulled by her restraints.

She looked herself over. She had been stripped of her garments, left only in her underwear, and she had suffered several cuts and bruises. Whatever had knocked her out had done it quite forcefully and thoroughly. Apparently, the monsters had been able to harm her more without even waking her up.

Before her were two demonic beings. She recognized them immediately. It was Avator. The other was the dark fairy from the mass grave. Avator was massive. He stood several feet taller than Fan-Min and looked like a pale, brooding man. She figured he stood a little over 8 feet tall. He was incredibly handsome and muscled. His face was rugged, but attractive and his hair was perfect. On his back were two enormous wings, like the wings of a bat, but big enough to lift a demonic creature of well over 200 pounds of muscle. She could see a strong-looking demonic tail resting on the ground behind him. He wore nothing on him at all, save the dark fairy that seemed to almost be a permanent fixture on his shoulder.

The dark fairy was just a few inches tall and had beautiful wings, like a butterfly, that shimmered in the dark room. They were a dark purple color with various green splotches that were identically placed on each wing. His hair was a dark black and his skin, like his large master's, an eerie pale white. He also wore nothing as far as clothing was concerned. Together, the two demons were intimidating looking, but Fan-Min wasn't afraid. Li-Ming had been in situations worse than this and she'd gotten out of them. Fan-Min was sure of that. She'd do it too.

"You're awake." Avator spoke in a deep, rumbling, and all-too-pleased voice. "Good."

Fan-Min could feel her mouth bleeding on the inside from the hard smack to her cheek. She spat the blood on the demon's large feet. "What do you want from me?"

Avator laughed a deep laugh, much like an earthquake. "As if I'd want anything of you."

"You do, or you'd have killed me already."

"I suppose I want something, but it's not you. You're too reckless. Too chaotic." He pressed his hand gently on her stomach, making Fan-Min feel queasy. She'd rather he be beating her than gentle with her. "I just want your power." He looked her in the eyes and they both froze. "Not you."

"Sorry." Fan-Min scoffed. "We're one in the same. Can't have one without the other."

"Oh, but I can." He chuckled and looked at the small fairy on his broad shoulder. "Can't I, Rin?"

Rin nodded his head eagerly. "Of course, my lord." He smiled a big grin. "You can take anything you want."

"Indeed."

"Just try it." Fan-Min taunted him, tired of beating around the bush.

Suddenly, she felt a large thud against her side, as if she'd been hit by a huge club. Recovering, she realized she'd been hit by Avator's massive tail. It felt like it was made entirely of muscle. Fan-Min knew she was going to have a massive bruise shortly. Rather than cry out, she bit her tongue and looked Avator in the eyes, confident she could beat him. She wasn't sure how or when, but she knew she'd win.

"You can act tough." Avator smiled devilishly. "But you'll be mine."

"Everyone gives in to my lord after some time." Rin added.

"We'll see about that." She spit more blood and tried to resist gritting her teeth to the pain. She wasn't sure how she was going to get out of this. Avator then snapped his fingers and turned to leave the room with Rin. On cue, a group of smaller demons entered the room. Avator turned around and grinned at Fan-Min before he left the room and shut the door. For some reason, Fan-Min sensed something in that last look toward her. There was some sort of demonic magic in it. She suddenly felt a strange fogginess in her head and in her heart. Avator was the last thing she could think of before the small demons began beating and torturing her.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Kazur sprinted as quickly as he could. At first, he was nervous that he'd never find a trail to follow in order to locate Fan-Huang, but that worry was quickly answered. Soon after he'd entered the Cursed Woods he'd found the bodies of demons and beasts being eaten by carrion bats. The wicked bats paid him no attention, but attempted to satiate their never-ending hunger by devouring the corpses of their fallen brethren. He knew this was no accidental death of a demon. It was the work of those he was after. Either Fan-Min or Huang had done this.

As he inspected more bodies on his trek through the woods, he noticed bolts in the heads of some of the fallen demons. Each bolt was directly in between the eyes of the creature. Someone was very accurate with a crossbow. He worried for Fan-Huang. Renegade Wizards were viewed in the same light as demons to many people in the world. He wouldn't be safe from anyone, especially a hunter as experienced as whoever had slain these monsters.

Kazur traveled on, ready for a fight at any moment, but none ever came. It was as if all the demons were already dealt with, they were scared, or they were already occupied by something. Whichever it was, it made for easy travel for him.

He made his way through the thick forest of twisted trees, soggy vines, and thick fog, following the path of blood and decay. Suddenly, out of the mist came a group of villagers. They looked exhausted and beaten, but at no threat of death.

"Are you okay?" Kazur asked. The villagers looked at him cautiously, but apparently saw him as more of a potential ally than a threat.

"We're fine." The man in front, obviously the unspoken leader of the group, spoke. "I don't remember exactly how we all got out here, but we woke up in the middle of these woods."

"Have you seen anyone else?"

"Yes." He explained. "That's how we woke up..." He looked at the other villagers with a bit of uncertainty. "I think..."

"Who were they?" Kazur asked, grabbing the man by his arms and looked intensely into his eyes. "Was one of them a really short guy?" Kazur gestured with his hand down below his chest. "About this tall. Robes? Brown hair?"

The man nodded nervously. "Yes!" He said clearly. "That was him. He was the one that freed us."

"And the other?"

"She's from around New Tristram." He explained, again looking to the other villagers for confirmation. "I don't know who she is, but she always wears a hood and dark clothing."

"And she carries two crossbows." A younger man added from behind the one acting as the leader.

"Sounds like a Demon Hunter." Kazur said absently.

"Do you know where New Tristram is?" The man asked. "It's so easy to get lost in these woods."

"Yes." Kazur answered, refocusing on the people before him. "I just came from there." He pointed back down the path he'd followed. "It's a few hours in that direction." He then gestured over to the dead demons nearby. "Just follow the path of dead monsters and carrion bats."

"Thanks." The man said, clearly nervous about the carrion bats. "I hope you find who you're looking for."

"Thank you." Kazur said as he continued on his way. He was re-energized by the confirmation from the villagers that Fan-Huang had passed through here. He was confident he'd find him, especially if he was able to keep up his fast pace.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Fan-Min was wobbling on the ends of her toes, struggling to keep herself propped up as she hung from the ceiling by her chain shackles. She was beaten and exhausted, but a sudden rumble stirred her to open her weak eyes. It felt like a small earthquake, but it was too rhythmic. Something was unnatural about it.

That's when the door to her locked chamber opened and in walked an all-too-pleased Avator with his demonic fairy sidekick on his shoulder. Both looked like they were very satisfied with something. The large demon man walked straight up to the exhausted wizard and smiled with pride. "Do you know what that is?"

Fan-Min hesitated to speak. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of engaging with her, but her curiosity finally won. She spoke, but her voice was weak and shaky. "What is it?"

"That's my army." Avator bragged. "An army worthy of a Lord of Hell."

"Good for you." She spoke, but her words sounded more sincere than she expected. Something in her attitude changed as Avator's gentle, but dominating eyes stared at her.

"My dear." He said kindly and leaned in and kissed the short wizard passionately. Fan-Min was shocked by the sudden move, but the longer the kiss lingered, the more she didn't mind it. Before she knew it, she actually enjoyed it. He was a handsome guy. He was powerful. She figured he wasn't as bad as she initially thought. He broke the kiss and spoke. "They're prepared for war."

"War?" Fan-Min asked, sounding eager.

"Yes, my dear." He explained. "They'll be overthrowing New Tristram. The cursed village that not even Diablo himself could overthrow." He smiled. "I'll overthrow it."

"You can do it." She encouraged the demon, hoping for another kiss.

"I know." He bragged. "I want you to lead the army. You're an expert in battle and would do well to lead the march against New Tristram, and ultimately any Lords of Hell that stand in my way."

Fan-Min thought about this for a moment, but her thoughts were short and hazy. It seemed like a good plan. Destroy the village and all that lived there and ultimately take a throne in Hell. What more could someone ask for? She smiled eagerly. "I'd love to."

"But you'll need to be careful." He warned her, looking at Rin on his shoulder. "There are those who would stop you." He placed his finger on her forehead and a clear vision of three people was burned into her mind.

The first was of a very tall, hairy man. His chest and upper arms were completely bare, but the rest of him was covered by elegant arcane robes. He had handsome features and well cared-for brown hair. She recognized him, but for some reason she couldn't really figure out why. He was Kazur. "He is a powerful wizard." Avator explained. "He'll know you are coming. He is gifted in prophecy and visions." Fan-Min nodded her understanding. "Attempt not to kill him. He'd be a valuable asset to our army."

The second was of a woman. She had pale skin, but nearly all of her was covered in shades of dark cloth. She wore a hood and leather armor well suited for combat. In each of her hands was a small crossbow. It was clear she was a demon hunter. Fan-Min recognized her as well, but she wasn't sure why. "Kill her." Avator instructed mercilessly. "She is a Demon Hunter named Marina Vale and is quite dangerous. She'll offer you no mercy. Return the favor." Fan-Min nodded her understanding.

The third was of a very short man. He was young and shared a resemblance to Fan-Min herself. He also had much of his torso exposed, but covered the rest of himself in dark-colored arcane robes. His hair was short a brown, like Kazur's, which was quite uncommon for users of the arcane. In his hand was a spellbook. For some reason Fan-Min felt like she knew something about that spellbook, but she couldn't think why. Her thoughts were clouded. They kept going back to Avator and that kiss. She'd do anything for him. Avator spoke. "This is Fan-Huang. He's a wizard like you, but much less powerful. He should be no trouble to destroy. Do it without hesitation." Fan-Min nodded her understanding.

"Will you lead my army for me, Fan-Min?" Avator asked, sounding sincere and kind in his words.

With her eyes glazed over and her thoughts clouded by Avator and his overwhelming presence, both physically and arcanely, she answered slowly. "It would be my honor."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Kazur continued his sprinting through the Cursed Woods. He was so tired and could feel the sweat running down his skin. He laughed through shallow, taxed breaths. If Fan-Min was here, she'd have been complaining about how sweaty and smelly he was, calling him a brute or something of that nature. Even though her words were always as sharp as a scorpion's stinger, he missed her. He knew behind her snarky exterior, there was a part of her that cared.

As he was lost in his thoughts, absently following the trail of battle remnants and corpses, he was drawn out of his thoughts by the actual sounds of combat. His eyes lit up in hope. He recognized one of the voices shouting over the mangled trees. It was Fan-Huang.

Invigorated, he picked up his pace despite his calves and hamstrings begging him not to. Passing under dark, contorted tree branches with damp vines hanging from them like lifeless serpents, he made his way toward the sounds. He could feel the mossy ground sink under his bare feet with each heavy step he took. It was only a few quick moments before he entered through a patch of trees and found his little brother in a fight for his life against a pack of Burrowing Leapers. They were horrid little creatures that looked a bit like hairless hyenas. However, their skin was a sickly looking green. Their front arms and paws were longer and larger than their rear ones. Each paw had large claws attached that were thick and curved. This was for the purpose of digging in the dirt. On their back were what looked like leafy scales with sharp spikes running down the spine. The same scales were found at the base of each paw. Their mouth was full of crooked and over-sized fangs that made it difficult for the monster to properly close its mouth entirely.

The monsters quickly burrowed into the ground to avoid each arcane blast Fan-Huang sent out, as well as the bolts the Demon Hunter was firing. When a creature was out of sight from the two combatants, it would jump out of its burrowed hiding spot in a flash and leap toward its target with its strong paws and claws ready to slash and kill. Much to Kazur's relief, it seemed the Demon Hunter had good senses and reflexes, because she dodged all their attacks and often pushed Fan-Huang out of harm's way as well.

Unable to allow himself to just sit back and watch his little brother struggle for his life, Kazur raced into the battle, exhausted but determined. Clenching his fists tightly, he prepared to end this pack's collective life. Kazur channeled his arcane energy through himself, allowing his premonitions to take root in his vision. The Burrowing Leapers didn't stand a chance. With his vision of the future, he could easily see where they would leap from and be ready.

"Kazur!" Fan-Huang shouted, sounding incredibly relieved and excited to see his brother, but Kazur ignored him. He was too focused on his inner vision to be distracted. Fan-Huang immediately recognized this and went back to the fight. Marina took note of the new arcane user, but saw him as an ally. Over her trek with Fan-Huang, she'd grown to trust the kid, and if he seemed so excited by this newcomer, then he was probably a friend. She'd keep a close eye on him anyway. She had a hard time fighting along people she knew nothing about.

Kazur turned and swung hard. The punch began before any target was present, but by the time the punch was fully extended, a Burrowing Leaper had jumped out of its hole to attack and came into direct contact with the full force of Kazur's strike. The creature's skull was smashed and it died immediately. The large wizard continued to assault the demonic creatures in the same manner, one-by-one, until he'd killed them all, with the few exceptions that had been slain by Marina or Huang.

Without a moment's passing, Kazur felt the entire weight of Fan-Huang as he threw himself on Kazur in the biggest hug he'd ever received. He tightened his arms around his little brother, holding him a foot off the ground easily. "It is good to see you, Kid."

"I've missed you so much!" Fan-Huang said, practically radiating relief and joy.

"And I, you." Kazur laughed, also overwhelmed by relief. He had been so worried he'd be too late to save his brother, but here he was safe… at least relatively safe.

"I didn't think you'd come!"

"Of course I came." Kazur assured him. "How could I just sit at the Sanctum knowing you were in danger?" Kazur's expression turned grim.

Fan-Huang noticed this immediately. "What?"

"It's your sister." He began, but was interrupted by a woman's voice.

"Who are you?" A woman dressed in leather and hooded by dark cloths asked. Kazur immediately recognized her as a Demon Hunter and kept on guard. Renegade Wizards were often treated as if they were no less dangerous than a demon. Given people like Tal Rasha, he supposed such claims were true.

"I'm Kazur." He stated plainly as he placed his little brother back on the ground. "I'm a friend of Fan-Huang."

"I gathered that." She said even more plainly, like his very presence irritated her. It felt almost like dealing with Fan-Min, only this Demon Hunter was clearly more pleasant.

"What more do you want to know?" Kazur asked. "Whether I'm a friend or foe?" He smiled like it was obvious. "I'm a friend so long as you're a friend to Fan-Huang." He explained as he looked down at the woman, who much to Fan-Huang's disappointment, stood considerably taller than he did. "Where Fan-Huang goes, I go. Fan-Huang's enemies are mine. Got it?"

"How did you find us?" Marina asked.

"I used my arcane talents." Kazur explained.

"Yeah, Kazur is an expert in visions and premonitions." Fan-Huang added.

"And that's one reason I came." Kazur turned grim and serious. "I've had some unpleasant visions."

"Of what?" Fan-Huang asked, adopting Kazur's grim attitude. He knew that if Kazur was worried about a vision, then they all definitely had reason to worry.

"I saw armies of demons marching on New Tristram. They destroyed everything. Slaughtered everyone. There was fire and blood everywhere." Kazur recounted. "It was horrible."

"We need to do something!" Marina nearly shouted. New Tristram had been home to her for some time. She was not about to let it be wiped off the map by some disgusting demon army.

"And Fan-Huang..." Kazur said calmly, but in a voice that Huang understood to be very concerned. "My other vision was of you and your sister."

"Is she okay?" Fan-Huang asked desperately.

"It's you I'm more worried about." He started. "In my vision I saw Fan-Min..." He choked up for a few seconds as he recalled the vision. "She..." He looked at Fan-Huang through tear-filled eyes. "She killed you."

"What?" Fan-Huang's voice was full of disbelief.

"She disintegrated you, until you were nothing by ashes in the wind."

"Why would she do that?" Marina asked. "I get that she's hot-headed, but a sibling killer?"

"She's not a killer." Fan-Huang said firmly.

"I don't want my vision to be true, but you know how this usually goes." Kazur spoke gently to his little brother. "My visions nearly always come true."

"It wasn't her." Fan-Huang stood up for his sister.

"I saw it, Kid."

"It may have been her. But it wasn't _her_." Fan-Huang stated again.

"I'm not following." Kazur said with an arched eyebrow. He looked over to Marina who simply shrugged.

"There's a great demon that's got his eyes set on New Tristram." Fan-Huang explained. "His name is Avator. He has the ability to control people's minds and actions."

"I understand that." Marina said. "I saw that in the villagers." She gestured back toward the path that the villagers they'd saved headed down. "But Fan-Min isn't a simple-minded villager. She's a powerful wizard protected by the arts of the arcane."

"Avator is no meager demon." Fan-Huang added, though he hated to have to admit that out loud. "He's a demon powerful enough to rival at least the Lesser Evils of Hell, maybe even the Prime Evils."

"You think he's strong enough to rival Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal?" Kazur asked, clearly shocked and hoping that Fan-Huang was just exaggerating.

"I can't be sure, but he's definitely no simple problem." Fan-Huang confessed. "He's strong."

"What's our course of action?" Marina asked, eager to get to slaying demons.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." Fan-Huang admitted. "My heart aches to chase after my sister, but we cannot leave New Tristram unguarded."

"Should we split up?" Kazur asked.

"No." Marina said with conviction. "Avator and his armies are as your little brother says: strong. We need to be together if we hope to defeat them."

"It sounds like we need Fan-Min." Kazur speculated. "She's more qualified than any of us for killing demons. Especially powerful ones like this Avator."

"Do we head back to the village?" Fan-Huang asked. "This is bigger than my family problems."

"No." Marina said, but this time more reluctantly. "I pray we have time before your vision of the siege on New Tristram comes to pass. We must chase after Fan-Min. If what you say about her power is true, then we need her."

"But what if we catch her and my vision of Fan-Huang comes true?" Kazur asked, looking sadly at his little brother. "I can't lose you, Kid."

"You won't." Fan-Huang stated, trying to sound confident, but failing. "Marina's right. We need Fan-Min."

"Plus, we're already on our way to her." Marina added. "Let's finish what we started."

"Will you join us, Kazur?" Fan-Huang asked.

"Kid." He smiled. "Do you honestly have to ask?"


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Avator sat on the throne that once belonged to The Countess. While it wasn't terribly comfortable, given his gargantuan size in comparison, it still gave the imagery of power and authority to any of his demonic minions that would see him. As he sat, he felt the world around him. He could sense the demonic energy of his army heading toward New Tristram, led by his newest servant, Fan-Min.

In the meantime, he decided to bide his time. He sat and allowed a smaller fraction of his army to come to and from the Forgotten Tower, bringing humans and animals alike for him to feed on. Each one he devoured the life force from, the more powerful he grew. "You've done well, Rin." He spoke a compliment to the fairy resting on his thigh.

The fairy stood up and looked up to his demonic master's piercing gaze. He was both excited and nervous at the same time. His wings fluttered from the anticipation to hear the rest of Avator's praise. A compliment from a demon lord was not a common gift. "I've done nothing of any worth, my lord." Rin's little fairy voice squeaked back to his master's ears.

"You built me an army." Avator smile wickedly. "I'm incredibly impressed by the work you did from the souls of those children."

"I could have done more if those wizards and demon hunter hadn't interrupted the ritual." Rin explained. "I was only able to get a fraction of the children's souls."

"So they each still have a soul?"

"Part of one." Rin answered. "And in time they will all heal."

"Think of them as a garden." Avator explained. "We can just recapture them and re-harvest their souls." He grinned widely. "Then we'll have an even greater army."

"Yes, my lord." Rin answered. "I'd be honored to turn the souls of men into an army for you any time."

"And that's why you're still alive." Avator spoke. The voice was kind, but Rin knew it to be a warning. "And now, Rin..." The fairy looked nervously up at his huge master. So big was he, that Rin had room to walk around on his thigh as if it was the floor to a house. "I have another task for you."

"Yes, master?" He fluttered up to Avator's face. "How can I serve you?"

"Take some of the Blood Clan and head out to the edge of the Cursed Woods."

"May I ask to what purpose?"

Avator could sense arcane energy heading their way. It was more than he expected. While the arcane levels were certainly not on par with Fan-Min, they were more powerful than he had expected her brother's to be. Plus, he figured wherever the other wizard was, so too would the demon hunter be. "There you will find a wizard and a demon hunter." He grabbed Rin in his hand, lightly enough not to hurt him, but tightly enough to make his point. "I want them dead. Choke the life out of them or they will continue to be a thorn in my side."

Rin breathed heavily as Avator's huge fingers finally uncurled from around his body. "Yes, master. I won't let you down." At those words, the demon lord smiled revealing his bright, white teeth. It was astounding to Rin, despite the many years he'd served Avator, he couldn't get over how different he was from other demons. All of the demon lords of Hell, save Andarial, looked nothing like humans. But Avator looked much like one, and an incredibly attractive one at that. He assumed it was to help make people comfortable so he could more easily overtake them with his dominance.

The fairy fluttered away to gather up his Blood Clan troops and head off to annihilate a couple of Avator's problems: a task he was happy to do. Killing humans was a pastime Rin enjoyed quite thoroughly.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

"We need to warn the village that the demons are headed their way." Fan-Huang insisted.

"How?" Kazur asked.

"I could write a letter." Fan-Huang explained. "I've got parchment and ink. That's no trouble."

"But how would you deliver it?" His big brother asked. "We're heading in the opposite direction."

"I can take care of that." Marina answered, her voice full of pride.

"How?" Huang asked.

"I've got friends." Marina said cryptically. She whistled a high-pitched screech through the woods. The group sat still, expecting something to happen, but it seemed nothing would happen.

"What did that do?" Huang asked.

"Just be patient." She said as she surveyed how many hours of daylight they had left. "We should set up camp. The sun'll be down soon and if we're going to face some demon lord, we'll need our strength."

"That sounds good to me." Fan-Huang said desperately. "We've been traveling all day and constantly in fights. I'm exhausted."

"We'll need wood." Marina said as she stared at Kazur. He took the hint.

"Right." He jumped into action. "I'll gather that."

"I'll get food." Marina said.

"What can I do?" Fan-Huang asked, feeling a bit useless.

"There was a bridge back a little ways."

"Where we fought the Fallen Shaman?"

"Right." Marina shrugged. "Maybe there's water there. Could you check?"

"If there is, what would I gather it in?"

"This." Marina handed him a canteen from her belt. "It doesn't hold a ton, but some is better than none."

"Okay."

With those words, they each separated in their different directions. Kazur had no trouble gathering firewood. His muscles and frame were big enough that he could carry large amounts at one time, so the task went by quickly. He kept glancing in the direction that Fan-Huang had left in. He couldn't shake the worry he felt leaving Huang alone in the Cursed Woods. He couldn't bear it if something happened to him. Deciding it was better to stay put rather than risk getting lost, he waited where they had stopped to set up camp for the others to return.

Fan-Huang had quite a bit of trepidation as he wandered back through the woods to the bridge. Thankfully, he ran into no demons or beasts. However, there was still a challenge. Once he arrived at the dilapidated bridge, he looked downward and couldn't see any water. It was too foggy. There was no visibility. He couldn't stand the idea of being more useless than he already felt, so he made a commitment to himself that he would not return to the camp without water.

Throwing reason and caution to the wind, he slipped the canteen onto his sash and carefully approached the edge of the chasm. Being extra careful of his footing, he proceeded down the foggy pit hoping to find water at the bottom. The climb down took several more minutes than he wanted, but he was rewarded with the discovery of a small stream of water, so narrow he could straddle it without getting his feet wet. Once he had filled the canteen, he made his way carefully back to camp.

Kazur felt a wave of relief flood over him when he saw Fan-Huang approach from the woods. Now if only they could get their sister back, then everything would be okay again. "I'm glad you're back."

"Me too!" Fan-Huang gave a relieved gasp. "You'd never believe all I did just to get this water."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He said, sitting down against a tree stump at Kazur's feet. "Here it is." He handed the canteen to Kazur.

The larger wizard wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do with the canteen, so he just set it down next to the mound of firewood he'd collected. He then sat down right next to Fan-Huang.

"Why'd you leave, Kid?" He asked.

Fan-Huang remained silent for quite some time, but Kazur knew he would answer, so he gave him his time. Finally, he spoke, his voice timid and nervous. "I..." He sighed heavily. "I couldn't let Fan-Min go off on her own. Family has to stick together."

"Exactly." Kazur said firmly. "Family has to stick together." He looked intensely at his little brother. "So why'd you leave me?" He looked very hurt, which was not lost on Fan-Huang. "We're family, aren't we?" Kazur was upset. That was crystal clear. "You're my brother, Kid. Am I not yours?"

"Of course you are!" Fan-Huang insisted. "It's not like that." He tried to explain. "I wanted you to come with me." His voice grew weaker as he began to cry. Despite his anger and frustration, Kazur still placed a large arm around his little brother and pulled him in tightly to comfort him. Fan-Huang continued through light sniffles as tears formed in his eyes. "I just didn't want to force you out of the life you had at the Sanctum."

"You wouldn't have had to." Kazur said quietly. "I would have come with you."

"I know that."

"I wish you'd have told me." Kazur said. "I would have been able to help you."

"Here you are." Fan-Huang wiped his eyes of the tears in them. "You always help me."

"I try."

"You do." They both grew quiet for some time and just enjoyed sitting together. Neither of them wanted to talk about what was missing, but she was on both of their minds. Finally, Fan-Huang spoke again. "Kazur..."

The large wizard looked down at the small one beside him, taking in his shiny blue eyes. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He smiled. "I'm here. It's all good."

Fan-Huang still looked sad. "Almost."

Kazur nodded knowingly. "Almost." He gave Fan-Huang a squeeze. "We'll get her back. Don't you worry, Kid." Fan-Huang just nodded lightly, but didn't seem convinced. "Don't you trust me?" Kazur asked.

"I do."

"We'll get her back."

Marina finally strolled back to camp, after what seemed like forever to the guys. Over her shoulders was slung the carcass of a deer. In its neck was the sure sign of a bolt's fatal wound. Kazur stood up, ever the gentleman, and offered to take the deer from her. Fan-Huang smiled and joked with her. "Took long enough. Did you get lost?"

She recognized the playful nature of his comment and smirked. "Actually, I did."

"Oh." Fan-Huang said, dropping his smile and allowing concern to replace it. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just never been good at navigating."

"Aren't you a Demon Hunter?" Kazur asked.

"Get a fire started." She responded. "I'm hungry." She didn't give the deer to Kazur, but rather threw it hard on the ground and began slicing it up into their meal. "I'll tell you about myself as we eat."

"Oh, okay." Kazur was a bit surprised. He assumed a Demon Hunter wouldn't want to share anything about herself. "Only if you want to."

"Who doesn't love talking about themself?"

They chuckled as they got a fire going and organized some larger logs and rocks as seating in an attempt to make their makeshift campsite as comfortable as possible. As the fire got big and hot, they began placing the cuts of meat from Marina's hunt, letting each one roast until they were all nice and tender. Fan-Huang had never had venison before, so he nervously, but with a bit of excitement bit in. "Ugh!" His face scrunched up in disgust. "That's horrible."

"Too bad." Marina defended her hunt. "It's all we have." She grinned. "Unless you wanna' eat the leftovers of one of the demons we fought back there."

"No, thanks." Fan-Huang eyed her suspiciously. "I think I'll stick with this."

Kazur bit in, but showed no sign of delight or disgust. He seemed to just eat it because there really wasn't any other options. They were lucky to have someone like Marina who was so experienced in wilderness survival. "So…" He began as he took a seat on the dirt floor, resting his back against a large log they'd moved into place. "Tell us about yourself, Marina." He smiled as Fan-Huang sat beside him, sliding in close and leaning against his big body. "If you don't mind."

She took a big bite of her meat and smiled pleasantly. A big smile. A genuine smile. Something that was not common amongst Demon Hunters. She sat down opposite the fire of the two wizards, clearly the third wheel amongst a deep, genuine friendship. "Sure." She mumbled through stuffed cheeks. "Where to start…?"

"Just whatever. I'm not trying to interrogate you or anything. You helped keep my little brother alive. You're good in my book."

"Well, I'm 22 years old. I'm an only child. I'm pretty sure I'm adopted, but I don't know for sure."

"You don't know?" Fan-Huang asked, a bit shocked, as he forced more food down his throat.

"Never asked." Marina shrugged as she enjoyed her meal. "My father was a priest, so I had no mother. My uncle lived with us; my father's older brother. He was a hunter. He taught me how to hunt deer and boar." She nodded toward the meat over the fire for proof. "I was an excellent shot. He'd always brag about my talents with the bow and crossbow. I thought little of it. To me it was easy to hit a target." She looked down, clearly remembering the past.

"You okay?" Fan-Huang asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. It's just…" She looked up at them through teary green eyes and pulled her hood down, finally giving them a clear look at her pale white skin and long, night-black hair. "You don't get into the Demon Hunting business without a tragic past."

"I can imagine." Kazur expressed his condolences through the gentle tone of his voice.

"It got to the point that I would go hunting alone. I didn't need my uncle anymore, plus his age was catching up with him. He had achy knees and shoulders from all the tracking and climbing." She paused as she remembered it all. "I went hunting once, by myself, and when I got home around sun-down, I knew something was wrong."

"What?" Fan-Huang asked, a bit nervous to hear what tragedy befell her.

"The front door of our cabin was open. We lived in the woods, near enough village that we could travel there easily, but far enough away for privacy. My father had the option to live in the parish in the village, but chose to stick out in the woods and travel to work every day. The door to our home was never left open, so I knew something was odd. And it was too quiet" She paused again to collect herself, clearly working to keep her emotions in check.

"You okay?" Kazur asked.

"I'm fine." She said. "This happened many years ago. So when I went into my home, I found my father and my uncle both being eaten by horrible ghouls." Her face betrayed her stoic voice. "I took my crossbow and shot a bolt between both the monsters' eyes. They died immediately." Her face expressed a vengeful anger. "But that didn't bring my family back."

"I'm so sorry, Marina." Fan-Huang spoke sadly. Kazur nodded his head in agreement.

"It's not your fault." She spoke through gritted teeth. "The fault lies entirely on demons like Avator." She looked fiercely at the men. "That's why I devoted my life to hunt demons. So no one else would have to experience the horrid fate that befell my family."

"I'm glad you're helping us." Fan-Huang said.

"I'm helping you because you're hunting demons." Marina answered, her eyes filled with anger. "I've heard stories of Renegade Wizards. Some say they're just as bad if not worse than demons."

"That's not true!" Fan-Huang defended them.

"Whether or not it's true doesn't concern me." Marina responded. "I just want to kill demons and that's what you're doing." She resumed eating, forcing her emotions to pass by. "So as long as we have the same goal, we're allies." With those words, a large black wolf bolted through the brush and landed right before Marina. Both Fan-Huang and Kazur jolted up in panic, but the Demon Hunter remained entirely calm. "Here's my friend." She said casually. "He'll deliver your letter."

Both the wizards stared at her in wonder. "This wolf can deliver letters?" Huang asked sounding absolutely shocked. Marina simply nodded like this was nothing unusual. "Okay…"

Sensing his confusion, she chuckled as he began writing his letter. "I've done a lot of hunting. I've learned a thing or two about animals. Save an animal, you earn their trust and loyalty. Kai would do anything for me." She smiled as she petted the ferocious, yet docile looking wolf.

Once the letter was strapped around the neck of the wolf, Marina held a cloth to the wolf's nose. It sniffed the cloth and darted off into the woods, the letter firmly fastened to his neck. "Where's he going?" Fan-Huang asked.

"The cloth has the scent of my home in New Tristram on it. He'll head to town and they'll get your letter."

"Amazing…" Kazur wondered.

They finished their meal and made small-talk around the fire until the late hours of the night. Fan-Huang had never been more frightened or uncomfortable as he was then. The howls and snickers of demons echoed through the mangled trees and the cold of the night pierced right through his thin arcane garb.

"We should get some rest." Marina said as she made a quick check around their campsite. She wasn't necessarily good at navigating, but she could sense and hunt demons better than most. If there were any stalking them, she'd know.

"Is it safe to sleep?" Fan-Huang asked, clearly shaken by their circumstances.

"No, but we need to anyway." Marina said as she settled down opposite the guys of the fire. "But it's more dangerous to fight on no sleep."

"She's right." Kazur agreed. "I'll be here." He nudged Huang. "So if anything comes, just wake me up."

"I hate this." Fan-Huang complained. "I just want my sister back."

"We'll get her back." Kazur assured him. "Remember, I promised?"

"I remember." He admitted softly as he forced himself to trust his big brother. Kazur laid down on his back, wiggling until he got comfortable on the dirt floor and then placed a big arm around Huang and pulled him down, resting the small guy's head against his broad chest.

"Just wake me up if you need to." Kazur said. Fan-Huang could feel his deep voice echoing around in his chest. He didn't respond, save a slight nod. "I'm right here by you."

Silence fell on the party for a few minutes before Fan-Huang finally whispered to Kazur. "How can you be so brave?" Why aren't you scared?"

"I am scared." Kazur whispered back. "I want Fan-Min back. I want you safe. I want to go back to civilization." He squeezed Fan-Huang affectionately. "But we can't have any of that if we're not brave. We have to face the darkness to get Fan-Min back. She needs us, just like we've needed her."

"Yeah."

"Besides, I have you." Kazur spoke proudly. "If things get bad, I know you'll help bail me out."

"And you'll do the same for me."

"Exactly."

Marina finally turned over, sounding a bit irritated. "Would you guys give all this sentimental crap a rest? I'm trying to sleep!" She huffed before rolling back over to sleep.

"And when we're both in trouble, Marina's here for us." Fan-Huang chuckled. His head shook around as Kazur chuckled deeply as well. "Good night."

"Good night, Kid."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Avator sat in the darkness of the Forgotten Tower, indulging in the tributes Rin and his minions had brought him from the countryside beyond the Black Marsh. The large demon placed his hand on the head of another human farmer that had risked his chances in the wilderness and began sucking the life energy out of him. He was a demon lord. He knew if he wanted to be ranked among or even surpass the great evils of Hell, he'd need all the power he could get. For every human or sucked the life energy out of, the more powerful he grew. If his servants kept bringing him tributes as they were, the enemy wouldn't stand a chance against him.

As her new master remained in his new fortress, devouring people and growing stronger, Fan-Min marched a legion of demons easily through the Cursed Woods toward the unfortunate village of New Tristram. Each stomp of the army could be felt in the muddy soil and witnessed as the branches and leaves of the trees shook. The village stood no chance.

She looked back at the demons who were loyally following her at the order of Avator. The creatures were so numerous and came in such varieties. There were small demons like the Fallen Ones, Skeletons walking as if life had never left them, Burrowing Leapers, Wraiths, Arachnids, Carrion Bats, and a plethora of other creatures with wicked features. Behind the small monsters marched the big ones. Tainted Ones, goat-men of the Blood Clan, Behemoths, Ogres, and so many other menacing beasts.

A frown crossed Fan-Min's wicked lips. This wouldn't be a battle. This would be a massacre. Her remorse wasn't in the life that would be lost. It was in the fact that the entire battle wouldn't offer even an ounce of challenge or entertainment to her. She shrugged it off. It couldn't be helped. She had her orders, and nothing in this world was going to stop her.

She thought of the wizards and demon hunter that her master had told her about. Maybe they would be at New Tristram. That could make for a fun challenge. With hopeful eagerness, she led the demonic troops step-by-step closer to the doomed village.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

New Tristram sat in the silence of night without much stirring from even the cattle. Kazur and Fan-Huang stood guard, but they weren't sure from what they were protecting the people. As they stood in silence, the ground beneath them began to tremble. Something big was coming.

"It must be Avator." Fan-Huang whispered as he prepared himself for battle. Kazur smiled at him in the dark. He was so proud of how much Huang had grown. He was standing so confidently, ready to risk his life to protect innocent strangers against the threats of Hell.

The trembling grew more intense until finally the shouts and roars of demons could be heard. Both Kazur and Fan-Huang stared at the entrance to New Tristram. After a few seconds of stillness, a figure slowly and confidently marched through the entrance.

"Is that…?" Kazur's voice trailed off. It wasn't large enough to be Avator. It was a woman. A young woman.

"Fan-Min." Fan-Huang said with a smile. "I'm so glad you're here!" He began running to her. "Demons are coming!"

Kazur saw his little brother rushing toward his sister and he remembered his visions. "Kid! Wait!" He shouted. Fan-Huang stopped hesitantly and looked at Kazur with quizzical eyes. Fan-Min did not stop walking toward Fan-Huang.

"What's wrong, Kazur?" Fan-Huang asked clearly confused. "It's just Fan-Min."

Kazur watched in horror.

Before Fan-Huang could even turn back toward his sister once he'd finished his sentence, a crackling and intense beam of arcane energy shot through his gut. Fan-Min was laughing as she blasted her disintegration spell right through her older brother. Huang screamed out in confusion and unimaginable pain as his skin began melting and burning away. He fell weakly to his knees and the beam blasted through his head, melting it away in just a moment, but his screams still echoed loudly over the joyful cackling of Fan-Min.

Kazur's eyes shot open as he took a big, desperate breath. His heart was beating like a drum in his chest. Lifting his head just slightly, he took in his surroundings. He was lying on the soft dirt a few feet from the campfire they had set up. The sky was blocked by the thick ceiling of tree branches and leaves and the animals of the woods were mostly silent. Across the fire Marina was sleeping with her crossbows at the ready. He looked down at his chest and felt relief flow through him. Sleeping with his head nestled into his chest was Fan-Huang, unashamedly using his brother as a pillow and a source of heat in the cold of night. He placed his big hand on Fan-Huang's thin body and allowed himself to calm down, now assured that he was still alive. His visions had not come true. Not yet, at least…

Kazur simply lay on the dirt and relaxed. After such a nightmare, he couldn't find it in himself to close his eyes again. He'd have gotten up and walked about, but he didn't want to wake Fan-Huang up, so he decided just to wrap his arm around the little guy and let him rest comfortably. As he let his thoughts drift to Fan-Min, he felt a twang of worry and depression wash over him. He knew Fan-Huang wanted her back, and he himself wanted to see her again. She was like a little sister to him, and he hoped that one day she might be even more.

Suddenly there was a rustle in the brush. Kazur glanced over at it, but didn't think much of it. Animals were all over the woods. One was certain to hear all sorts of noises in the night. However, his alarms went off as he saw Marina jump to her feet with her crossbows ready.

"Get up." She whispered.

Kazur stood up, pulling Fan-Huang's mostly limp body to his feet with him. "What's going on?" Fan-Huang asked through his sleep-filled eyes.

"Sorry, Kid." Kazur apologized, a bit unsure of what was going on himself, though he knew it couldn't be good. "Something's up." Fan-Huang collected himself pretty quickly at those words and looked to Marina for more of an explanation.

She noticed that, but never took her eyes off the woods before her. "We're being ambushed." Both the wizards prepared themselves for battle. "Get ready." She whispered commandingly.

Suddenly, out of the thick of the trees and the shadows of night, creatures came barreling toward the group with the clear intent of murder. The monsters were clearly from one of the goat clans. Their feet were furry and that of the hind legs of a goat. Their waist up to the neck was all the fleshy body of a human man. From their neck up was the furry and terrifying head of a goat with large curled horns. The fur of the beasts was a dark red, meaning they likely belonged to the feared Blood Clan. Each one carried some variant of a large bladed weapon that they seemed to be more than comfortable wielding.

Before anyone had any time to really consider what they should be doing, the battle was on! Marina did a backflip to narrowly avoid the lethal slice from one of the large Blood Clan's axe. However, despite his initial miss, he didn't give up. He charged at her like a wild animal, his eyes a cold sort of empty. He swung rapidly at her, but she skillfully ducked and weaved between his attacks. Just before the beast could send another killer swing her way, Marina unleashed the bolts held in both of her tiny crossbows at him. Both of them plunged right into the skull of the demonic assailant and he fell to the ground like a ragdoll, dead. With one down, Marina turned her attention to the others encroaching on her.

Fan-Huang stumbled back gracelessly as an extraordinarily large Blood Clan goat-man charged him, its head lowered so that its horns were aimed right at the wizard's chest. Just before the goat-man could make impact, Kazur shoved Huang to the ground, possibly saving his life. Fan-Huang looked to Kazur to thank him, but found that Kazur was engaged with several Blood Clan members at the same time. Instead, Fan-Huang turned his attention back to the Blood Clan that was trying to kill him. He rose to his feet as quickly as he could and began launching arcane bolts at the beast. Unfortunately, the monster either dodged them, or took them as if they didn't hurt him even slightly. He launched more arcane bolts, but realized the beast wasn't going to stop. He turned to run, but felt the sharp pain of the monster's large axe slice down on his back. Fortunately, he had run far enough that the cut was shallow and not a threat to his life. However, Fan-Huang knew such luck never lasted.

With as much arcane energy as he could muster in his small body, Fan-Huang turned back and hurled the largest arcane orb he'd ever casted at the Blood Clan member. _BOOM!_ It came in direct contact and shone bright, like a bomb going off. He covered his eyes from the light, as did many of the people and goat-men around him, and then waited to see what had become of the target. As the light faded and Fan-Huang's eyes readjusted to the darkness of the night, he caught just a glimpse of the Blood Clan member charging him. It wasn't even a second before the goat-man made contact with his curled horns, forcing Fan-Huang down on the ground in quite a bit of pain, before the goat-man himself threw himself on top of the wizard and began punching him.

Fan-Huang tried to defend himself by placing his hefty spellbook between him and the goat, and it worked pretty well, all things considered, but it didn't stop the goat from assaulting him. As his brain reeled, trying to find a way to get the monster off of him, the goat suddenly froze and fell limp on top of him. He felt the breath get forced out of him as the full couple hundred pounds of the goat-man pressed lifelessly down on him. Fan-Huang glanced over to see that Marina had been the one to save him by shooting a quick bolt into the creature.

He pressed with all his might, which was quite a bit given his small stature. He and Kazur had done quite a bit of working out together at the Yshari Sanctm, however, even that hadn't given him he required muscle strength to push the heavy goat-man off of himself from such an awkward lying position. He was forced to remain on the ground as he listened and caught sideways glimpses of his allies fighting.

As Marina continued to slay Blood Clan members with the honed skills of a Demon Hunter, Kazur battled numerous Blood Clan members using his bare hands and bare feet. Though it was draining his arcane energy rapidly, he used his ability to see the future to out-maneuver the various goat-men attacking him. He could see every step, every swing, every movement they made before they even made it. He easily dodged their attacks and landed countless blows on their unarmored bodies.

Fan-Huang could barely get any breath into his lungs under the pressure of the dead goat-man lying on him. As he was pinned to the ground, he could feel the warm wetness of the dead goat-men's blood running onto him and soaking through his clothes. As disgusting as it was, it was a sure indicator to him that his allies were winning. He could still hear their battle cries and grunts, so he knew they were okay. In contrast, the dying cries of the Blood Clan could be heard as more and more were defeated. Fan-Huang had no idea how many goat-men were attacking them, but it was an immense number.

As he listened to the sounds of battle, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to his right, toward the campfire, and noticed a small creature standing next to his head, smirking with wicked glee. "I've caught one." Rin said as he mocked Fan-Huang as he was pinned under the corpse.

"You're losing." Fan-Huang practically spat at the demonic fairy.

"You have no idea what you're up against." Rin countered. "The Blood Clan is an immense clan and they all are devoted to the will of my master." He walked over and leaned against Fan-Huang's cheek as if it was nothing more than a wall. "Kill some and they'll keep coming." He taunted. "Their lust for blood is unrivaled. That's where they got their name, you know." He smiled an evil smile. "That and the fact that they are _not_ afraid of shedding their own blood for the kill."

"Kazur and Marina will not lose."

"Well, they're certainly doing better than you." Rin laughed.

"Laugh it up, but you're the one who's going to lose."

"You keep saying that." Rin shrugged. "But somehow it's just not scaring me. Yours are empty words."

"We'll see."

"No. I'll see." Rin stood back up and looked hatefully at Fan-Huang. "You'll be dead." At those words, he raised both his hands toward the wizard's head. "Your sister taught me this one." With a clear effort from Rin, his hands began to glow. Fan-Huang knew what was coming. This was Fan-Min's disintegration spell. However, as the spell charged in the tiny fairy's hands, Fan-Huang noticed that the sounds of battle had fallen silent. The only noise was Rin and his charging spell.

"You lose." Fan-Huang smirked, his heart overwhelmed by relief and pride. The fairy looked at him confused before lowering his hands and turning to survey the battlefield.

Just as he turned around to see what had happened to the Blood Clan, Kazur grabbed the little fairy in his big hand and held him tightly, but not tightly enough to kill him.

"What are you doing here?" Kazur shouted louder than he needed to since the fairy was mere inches from his face.

Rin refused to speak. Kazur tightened his grip. The dark fairy let out a pained whimper as he felt his body get constricted, threatening to break his bones. "Fine." He gasped for air. Kazur loosened his grip on him and waited for him to continue. Rin looked up hatefully, but spoke. "What reason do I have to tell you anything?" He asked. "You'll just kill me anyway."

"Of course we-" Marina began threatening, but Fan-Huang cut her off.

"We won't kill you." He promised. "Not if you tell us what you're doing and where we can find my sister." Marina glared at the young wizard.

"A promise from a Renegade Wizard?" The fairy asked with a raised eyebrow. "And how do I know you'll be good on your promise?"

"You don't." Fan-Huang shrugged. "All you have is my word."

With a huff, the fairy gave in. "Fine." He trusted the wizard, but not the Demon Hunter. "I came to do the obvious."

"And what's the obvious?" Kazur asked.

"Kill you."

"Nice try." Marina laughed haughtily. "You gotta' do better than that to beat me."

"We were ready for you." Rin bragged. "It was this big oaf that we weren't ready for." He nodded his head toward Kazur. "Premonition magic is rare."

"And effective." Kazur added.

"What's your plan?" Marina asked.

"I serve Avator."

"We know that."

"His goal is to conquer New Tristram.

"Why?" Kazur asked.

"Because Diablo and the Lords of Hell couldn't."

"Yes they could." Marina countered. "Diablo overthrew Tristram."

"But they survived." Rin said with a smirk. "And now they've rebuilt. He didn't destroy them like he wanted."

"So why does Avator want to overthrow New Tristram?" Kazur asked.

"To prove his power." Rin explained. "To become a Lord of Hell. One of the feared Evils."

"So he's just trying to show off?" Marina asked.

"It's a bit bigger than 'showing off'." Rin taunted her.

"And where's my sister?" Fan-Huang asked.

Rin grinned wickedly. "She's on her way to New Tristram."

"Why?"

"I just told you." Rin laughed a bit. "To overthrow the stupid village."

"Why would she do that?"

"She'd do anything for Avator."

It was at that moment that Fan-Huang understood what was happening. His sister was under the dominating influence of the demon Avator. He had to stop her. "Kazur."

"Yeah?'

"We gotta' go to New Tristram."

"You have a death wish?" Rin asked. "By all means, go to New Tristram."

"We gotta' save her." Fan-Huang ignored the taunts of the fairy still stuck in Kazur's mighty grip.

"I'm with you." Kazur affirmed.

"Me too." Marina said, though she was more interested in rescuing the village than the Renegade Wizard.

"You and what army?" Rin asked. "She's not alone. The entire force of Avator's army is behind her."

"If it's anything like the army you came with, I'm pretty sure we'll be okay."

"You don't stand a chance." Rin laughed. "You're going to die."

"He told us what we needed to know." Marina hissed. "Kill him."

Kazur nodded, but before he could do anything he felt the tiny hand of his little brother rest on his thick wrists. "Don't." He instructed.

"Yeah, don't." Rin said, sounding afraid.

"Why the hell not?" Marina asked, obviously angry and confused. Her life's goal was to hunt and kill demons. Why let this one live?

"Because I gave him my word."

"I didn't agree to this."

"I gave him my word." Fan-Huang said again with conviction. He turned to Kazur. "Please, Kazur. Don't make me a liar."

Kazur sighed. "You know I wouldn't do that." He looked back down at the fairy in his hand. "But if I ever see you again, consider yourself as good as dead." Rin simply nodded in fear, recognizing the sincerity in the large wizard's threat. "Go." He released Rin and the fairy fluttered off in a panicked hurry.

"He's going to tell Avator." Marina warned. She was obviously disapproving of letting him live.

"Tell him what?" Fan-Huang asked. "We're heading toward his army. What else can he throw at us?"

"Whatever." Marina brushed off his comeback. "Let's just be going. This isn't going to be easy." Taking her advice, the group gathered their belongings up and marched back toward New Tristram.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Rin couldn't believe that those wizards and demon hunter had let him get away alive. He was sure that the Demon Hunter wouldn't uphold their end of the deal and would kill him anyway. But that small wizard, Fan-Huang, was true to his word. Rin flew quickly toward their hideout in the Forgotten Tower wondering if any of it even mattered. He was going to return to Avator because he was loyal, but he wondered if Avator would let him live. Or would he just end his life in a fit of fury?

It wasn't a terribly long or eventful trip back to the Forgotten Tower. Rin was small, but his magic and wings were capable of taking him quickly through the woods. Plus, he was a formidable opponent due to his natural connection with the arcane due to his being a fairy, so the other weaker demons and beasts of the Cursed Woods knew not to mess with him.

The halls of the tower were uncharacteristically safe and empty. There were no ghosts, ghouls, beasts, or demons. Avator had sent them all with Fan-Min to assault New Tristram. It actually made Rin even more nervous. It meant he was completely alone and at the will of Avator. He shrugged and chuckled humorlessly to himself. It's not like any of the wicked creatures that had dwelt within these halls would have actually stepped up and saved him had they seen Avator threatening him. They'd had cheered Avator on!

Avator watched curiously as Rin made his way slowly back into his chambers in the basement of the Forgotten Tower. It was the very throne room from which the Countess had once terrorized the region, and now Avator followed in her footsteps, only even more dangerous and wicked than she ever could have been.

He was eager to hear what Rin and the Blood Clan had done to the pesky people who were opposing him. He sat more patiently than was his custom, but Rin never piped up. Finally, Avator's deep, menacing voice rumbled through the stone room, breaking the pregnant silence. "Well…" He started. Rin feared the words that were coming next because he knew they would demand a response. "What happened to the thorns in my side?" Avator glanced around the room. "And where are the Blood Clan goats? Did they join the attack on New Tristram?"

Rin gulped audibly. "No, sir." He fidgeted as he floated in the air effortlessly by the power of his wings. "They died."

"All of them?"

Rin noticed the effects of Avator's constant feeding off the life energy of the regional peasants on his physique. Avator was bigger. Much bigger. He barely could fit within the room that now housed him. It made answering him that much harder. "Yes." He squeaked out. "All of them."

Avator let out a long, deep groan as if he was thinking on something very deeply. Rin waited, his heart practically pounding its way right out of his chest. "I see."

The large demon lord watched the small fairy, who was now smaller than even one of his fingers, with deep satisfaction as he squirmed nervously, totally at his mercy. The thought of killing of Rin crossed his mind immediately, and the urge was strong, but he resisted it. Despite the fairy's underwhelming size and his complete failure in dealing with the wizards and demon hunter, Avator couldn't help but respect him a bit. He was the only creature, save the Evils themselves, that he hadn't been able to dominate no matter how hard he tried. While it was true Rin was completely loyal to him and served him however was demanded of him, it was not because of Avator's domination. It was more from an odd friendship that the fairy saw between them. While Avator certainly held no love for Rin, there was a strange joy that came with having the small guy around. He was another tool that could help Avator achieve his goal of being ranked amongst the Evils of Hell.

Rin longed to have this strange interaction come to an end. "I'm sorry."

"No matter." Avator said through what almost resembled a smile, but Rin knew better than to interpret it as such. "We've still got New Tristram at our mercy." Avator laughed. "And when the wizards and demon hunter arrive here, we'll be ready."

Rin decided against telling Avator that he had told the group where the army was and where Fan-Min was. He didn't have a death wish. "Yes we will." He lied.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

It was an exhausting journey back to New Tristram since the group ran almost the entire way. Fan-Huang felt like his legs were made of water and his lungs were on fire. Even so, he knew he hadn't time to rest. Even as they were growing near the village, the sounds of war echoed through the stagnant air. Men and women could be heard screaming as the crackling of large flames snapped into their ears. New Tristram was under assault, just as Rin had said.

Kazur looked over at Marina and then down at Huang. "Are you two ready?" His voice was calm, but clearly had a dash of concern in it. It was almost as if he wasn't fully confident they'd all survive this. His gentle eyes rested on Fan-Huang. The vision he'd had kept playing through his head. Fan-Min burning Fan-Huang alive. Disintegrating him down to nothing but dust in the wind. "Why don't you stay here, Kid?"

Fan-Huang literally jolted at the comment, as if it had come out of no where. "What?" he asked in disbelief. "Why?"

"This will be dangerous." Kazur stated, clearly trying to remain calm and collected. "I don't want you hurt."

"People are already hurting and dying. Why should I be spared? I can help!" He argued. "Besides, my sister is somewhere in there!"

"Exactly." Kazur nodded sadly. "I don't want her to kill you."

"She's my sister."

"She could be your murderer."

"I'm willing to risk that."

Marina couldn't wait any longer. "People are dying, boys!" She started running toward the mayhem with her crossbows ready. "Let's go!" Without waiting for Kazur to react, Fan-Huang bolted off with Marina. Kazur sighed heavily as he followed in tow. This was going to be bad.

The village was truly in dire need of help! As the three ran deeper into the small settlement to find where the destruction was taking place, they passed through blocks and blocks of burning and crumbling structures. Bloody bodies and defeated weapons littered the streets. Most the corpses were that of humans, but to the relief of the group, there were some demons lying dead about. At least there was a portion of people ready and willing to fight back. It seemed that their letter had made it in time to at least get them armed, even if the fight was still pretty one-sided. However, they all knew that if Fan-Min was involved on the side of Hell, the villagers stood no chance. She could eradicate the entire population herself.

It wasn't long before the demon forces, vast in number, took notice of the newcomers to the battle. Their attention quickly went from the villagers to the new renegade wizards and demon hunter. With their eyes set on them, the battle ensued.

The demons took no time in identifying who the great threats were. Packs of demons refocused their destructive claws and weapons from the village and charged both Kazur and Marina, effectively separating them from each other. Fan-Huang, obviously not seen as much of a threat by the hordes of evil, was left mostly alone. The demons wanted to overwhelm the powerful opponents first.

Marina rolled backward as a winged harpy descended down on her heavily. She just barely dodged the creature's sharp talons. They glinted in the light of the flames, clearly sharp enough to rip apart flesh, and strong enough to break through bone. She knew if she was caught in them, she'd be dead. She took aim with her crossbows and launched a bolt right between the horrid beast's beautiful, but wicked looking womanly face. As she smirked with the satisfaction of another kill, she prepared herself for the rest. Harpies flew about above her in a foreboding circle, like vultures waiting for their meal. Before her on the ground were more large clawed, fanged, muscled, and enormous variations of demons than she ever cared to face, but she knew she had no choice. Surveying her surroundings, she began launching volley after volley of bolts, each one hitting its target. The odds were definitely stacked against her. She knew she'd probably die in New Tristram, but she wasn't about to go about that without taking down as many of the demonic assailants as she could.

Kazur backed away as hordes of skeletal warriors and demons known as grotesques made their way at him. The skeletons were that of humans mostly, each armed with rusted, but deadly battle weapons. There were, however, some skeletons of demons that Kazur couldn't identify of the top of his head, but he had no trouble recognizing the threat they were to him. The grotesques looked like large, bloated corpses larger than any human, that had been stitched together from the various pieces of other creatures. He could make out something moving about under the grotesques' skin, as if there was something alive, like a parasite, under the skin.

It was obvious that the fight before him was going to be a tough one. He'd need all his strength of body and arcane to win it, which meant he wouldn't be as capable of keeping an eye on Fan-Huang as he'd wanted. The thought made him nervous, but there wasn't really another option. He couldn't take care of the kid if he was dead either. All he could do was fight and hope that Fan-Huang could hold his own until the battle was over. Clenching his fists tightly, he allowed the arcane energy within his body to flow to his eyes, and he charged into the fight already seeing where the demons would be.

Fan-Huang moved forward mostly unhindered by the demonic forces assaulting New Tristram. He had his enchanted spellbook in his hands, and did have to take down a few demons, but overall, his meandering was left alone. This suited him well, because while he was concerned for the town and those who dwelt there, his mind was on one thing: Fan-Min.

He looked low and high for her, and after a few minutes of battle and searching, he found her. She was standing before a large congregation of villagers. They had their weapons ready, but it was clear to anyone looking that they were not fighting. They were preparing to die. They were surrounded by hordes of Avator's demons and Fan-Min was relishing in the moment before their death to taunt and toy with them.

Maybe to someone else this would seem normal for Fan-Min, but Huang knew that this wasn't her. Something had been done to her. He had to save her! He ran forward and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Fan-Min!" His voice danced about the congregation, drawing each person's pleading eyes to him. Their faces lit up with hope as if he was their rescue.

However, the young male wizard didn't notice them. He only noticed one set of eyes, and they were burning with hatred and the desire to kill him. And they belonged to his little sister.

After a few silent moments of staring she finally smirked before letting out an unconcerned giggle. "Fan-Huang." Her voice was lighthearted and friendly, but he could sense that she was anything but that at the moment. In fact, she was never lighthearted nor friendly. "What are you doing here?" Again, she sounded like someone who just received a surprise visit from a dearly loved one, but the feeling overwhelming Fan-Huang was that of danger. She was not happy to see him. She was going to kill him. He knew that. But he couldn't leave her as she was.

"I've come to save you." He shouted as he slowly approached his younger sister.

"Save me?" She laughed. "From what?"

"Avator." He shouted. The name made the demons around hoop and holler. They were all clearly under his domination. It was at that moment, due to the noise the demons made, that Kazur's attention was drawn from his battle to the confrontation between the two young siblings.

"Kid!" He whispered concernedly to himself. "No!" Forgetting the mass of demons surrounding him, he attempted to run to his little brother, but was quickly stopped. He felt the hot pain of a deep cut run along his muscled arm. He looked at the new wound and saw deep red running freely from his arm. He turned his attention back to the demons assaulting him, but the distraction would cost him.

As he defended himself from the demon that had managed to claw him, other demons took the opportunity to wail on him with their fists, claws, and clubs. Kazur wasn't about to let them overcome him. Not before he could save Fan-Huang. He fought back with all he had while trying to steal glances at his younger siblings.

Marina had successfully shot most of the harpies out of the sky, as well as killed most of the demons on the ground. They were truly not ready for the skills of a demon hunter. However, she had run out of bolts and was left at the mercies of her hands and daggers. While that wouldn't be an issue for the remaining land-demons, the harpies would prove to be difficult.

As the ground-demons charged her, she expertly jumped, rolled over their backs, and slashed them with her knives. Slashes that would prove to be fatal as she severed their spines. The demons crashed hard to the floor and the demon hunter's attention went immediately to the harpies in the air, but it was too late. One was already upon her, grabbing at her with its over-sized talons. Marina reacted with the speed only a demon hunter could ever hope to possess, but it wasn't quick enough to save her.

The harpy missed her body due to the dodge, however it caught the hood of her armor. Settling for the hood, the harpy lifted her off the ground. Marina watched as the ground grew farther and farther away and the burning buildings grew smaller. She had to act quickly. Any higher and a fall would be fatal, if it wasn't already. With her knives she slashed at the harpy's talons, but the thick skin proved too much. The beast didn't even react to the attacks.

The harpy finally plateaued in her ascension, but it was high. Too high for Marina to be comfortable. Thinking fast, she took the knife and sliced at her hood, severing it from the rest of her armor. The harpy wasn't expecting that and could do nothing but watch the demon hunter plummet freely to the earth.

Marina took a deep gulp and loosened up her body as the ground rapidly ran at her. She was happy to look up and see the harpy was not in pursuit. She figured it was probably because she'd be dead as soon as she splatted against the streets of New Tristram. Looking down one more time, the sight of the dirt road in front of the Slaughtered Calf Inn was the last thing she saw before all went black.

Fan-Min had finally walked within almost arm's reach of her older brother. "You're here to save me?"

"I am."

"And if I don't need saving?"

"You need saved!" Fan-Huang argued desperately. "Look what you're doing!" He gestured toward the destruction surrounding them and the mass of villagers afraid for their lives.

"And how are you to save me?" Fan-Min asked as a Cheshire grin crossed her lips. "If you can't even save _yourself!_ " With those words she raised both her hands toward Fan-Huang and unleashed the most powerful Disintegrate he'd ever seen her cast. Though, it was aimed directly at him, Fan-Huang found himself unharmed, at least physically, by the spell.

Kazur saw his vision coming true. He ran from his battle, his body bloody, bruised, and barely capable of movement, and practically fell on Fan-Huang, successfully pushing him out of the spell that was to be the death of him. Both Fan-Huang and Kazur hit the floor hard and the spell went over their heads. He tried to stand up and help his little brother in stopping Fan-Min, but found that his body wouldn't move. He had pushed himself too hard.

Fan-Min was clearly upset by his surviving. Before Fan-Huang could get back up and re-calibrate himself, Fan-Min had teleported to him and grabbed onto his chest. A surge of electricity flowed from her hands into his body, threatening to stop his heart and end his life in just a moment.

Fan-Huang jolted, drooled, and shook violently as far too many volts of electricity passed through his body. Any longer and he was going to die, but there was nothing he could do. He was paralyzed by the gripping shock. Just before the life passed from his body, he felt relief. Kazur, though barely conscious, had crawled over to him and was gripping the skin of his leg under his robe. The electrical current was then spread from just Fan-Huang's body into Kazur's as well, lessening the damage done.

Noticing what was being done, Fan-Min, while continuing her electrical shock, began kicking Kazur hard in the head, trying to get him to release her younger brother so he would die. Not matter how hard her heeled boots came down on the larger wizard, he refused to let go. With a loud scream, she prepared to go all out with her next kick, hoping that it would be enough to break the wizard's neck. But she never got the chance.

Suddenly, Fan-Min found herself on the ground with the woman demon hunter beside her. She had tackled her to the ground to save the two wizards. She looked like she was on the verge of dying. She might have even had broken bones. Regardless, Fan-Min stood up and was prepared to make a quick death of her, but as she stood up, she felt something clamp down on her foot hard. The demon hunter had placed a trap on the floor that had trapped her foot to the ground. With a grumble, Fan-Min raised her hand, ready to murder the woman.

Before anything could happen, Kazur had bolted behind Fan-Min and had subdued her with his big arms, effectively holding her still and unable to do anything. Marina crawled over and ensured that her feet were restrained as well. She tried to fight back and flail, but the two holding her were too much.

The few demons surrounding the crowd of villagers looked around confused. What should they do? Continue to guard the villagers or save the female wizard? They finally decided to split their numbers. A few of them charged toward the two humans holding Fan-Min down, but they never made it. Before they could reach her, arcane orbs crashed into them, blowing their bodies to pieces. They had made a mistake in dismissing the young male wizard as a non-threat. They didn't know his little sister had given him an arcane treasure in the book he carried that made him at least somewhat formidable.

Before the demons could react, he ran to his sister. He was burnt and suffering, but she was more important. She struggled and grunted, but the two holding her down proved to be too much.

"Fan-Min!" Fan-Huang shouted desperately at his younger sister. He needed to reach her! "Stop this!" She didn't respond with anything intelligent; just more grunts and struggles. "Please! I can't live without you!" He watched as hatred burned in her eyes for him. She was always an unhappy looking person, but this was different. This was evil within her. But Fan-Huang knew she wasn't the source of evil. It was coming from somewhere else and had her captive.

"This isn't you!" He shouted, tears welling up in his eyes. "I know it... It's not you." His voice became softer and sweeter. Her eyes looked everywhere but at his. "When I was little, you were just a tiny thing..." He laughed a little at his memory. "Remember when I was in beginner's spellcasting?" She didn't respond, but he didn't care. "I couldn't even manage to cast an arcane bolt. I sucked." He laughed. She did not. "Remember what you did?"

"I remember." Kazur chimed in, his voice coarse and pained. He was barely hanging on. "I remember it." He laughed allowing a bit of blood to sputter out of his mouth.

"Kazur came over and hugged me." Fan-Huang continued. "I was so upset and we were so small and underestimated. You especially, sis."

"Not by me."

"Never by you." Fan-Huang acknowledged his large brother and refocused on his sister. "He hugged me, but not you." He laughed a bit more. "You marched up to me." Her eyes were still wandering in an effort to avoid his. "Do you remember what you did?" He waited for her to answer, but she refused. "You smacked me against my cheek." He laughed at the memory. "Kazur was so sweet and delicate with me." He looked affectionately at his friend. "But not you. You never took it easy on me."

She struggled and hissed. She wanted to hear none of this. "But that night..." Fan-Huang continued, full-on crying. "You came to my room while Kazur was bathing... you weren't supposed to be in the boy's dorms, but you came." He grabbed his sister by her shoulders and tried to get her to look at him, but she wouldn't. Her mind was totally taken by something, or someone, else. "You snuck in you gave me this book." He nodded toward the book attached to the sash around his waist. "This book is the very thing that got me through the years in the Sanctum."

Fan-Min stared at the ground, clearly angry. Both Kazur and Marina struggled to remain subduing her, but they pushed themselves. "You never told me where you got it, but I have a feeling you stole it." He smirked as he placed his hand on her chin and lifted her head toward his. She didn't fight. She allowed it to happen. Fan-Huang could feel like he was connecting. "You just told me that a wizard of your caliber could get things like that without any trouble, but that I should never try." He smiled warmly at her. And her eyes met his.

Time seemed to freeze. Fan-Huang could see in his sister's eyes a battle. She was fighting against something. He knew what it was. It was a demon. And not just any demon. Avator. She was struggling. Not wanting to do evil, but having every desire to do it according to his dominion over her.

"You were the worst little sister ever." He laughed through tears and a warm smile. "All I wanted was a hug like Kazur always gave me, but instead you'd just beat me up. Insult me. Everyone else at the Sanctum thought you hated me because you were always so mean..." She was staring into his tear-filled eyes. She was trying to break free, but she needed help. "You are the most self-centered, arrogant, and unpleasant wizard I've ever known." He embraced her. "And I love you." He cried into her tiny shoulder. "And I want nothing more than to have you back." He cried more bitterly. He could even hear Kazur cry as he restrained her.

It felt like an eternity that they remained like that. But as the seconds seemed to come to a stop, Fan-Huang felt hands press against his back. They were small, definitely not Kazur's. He was being hugged. And it was Fan-Min. She cried. She wept bitterly into his shoulder as Kazur released her and brought them both into a large bear hug. Silence remained, save the sounds of demons tearing the village apart and flames eating the surroundings. "I'm so glad you're back." Fan-Huang whispered to his sister.

"Thank you." She said. "This doesn't mean I'm going to ever be nice to you." She warned. "You know that, right?"

"I'm not that stupid."

"Good."

With those words exchanged, Kazur and Marina fell hard to the floor, beaten and bruised. Fan-Huang immediately turned his attention to them while Fan-Min's eyes fell on someone else. Avator. She had work to do.

The villagers surrounded by the demons once under Fan-Min's command cowered as she approached them, her body straight and bold. A cocky smirk crossed her lips. "I'm back."

In an easy and quick rush, Fan-Min cleared the village of all the demons attacking it. She made it look like it was just a game to her. Fan-Huang was amazed, as always, as he slowly dragged Kazur and Marina to the Slaughtered Calf Inn in hopes of providing some help for their wounds.

Before the setting of the sun, New Tristram was saved. The damage was immense. The casualties high. The fear ever-present. But those who remained were safe, for now, and Fan-Min planned to keep it that way. She'd done more harm to New Tristram than she ever imagined possible. Li-Ming would _not_ approve. She had to make up for this.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Avator could feel the minions under his dominion dying off. This was not how it was supposed to go. They were supposed to overwhelm New Tristram. They were supposed to follow under the power of Fan-Min and utterly destroy the cursed village. This was supposed to be his opportunity to accomplish that which Diablo himself couldn't.

Rin sat by him nervously as he watched Avator's mood grow more sour. No one could predict what such a large and soul-fed demon lord could do when he was angry. The small fairy didn't believe in prayer, but if he did, he'd have been praying for protection against his massive master.

"This is not my plan." Avator seethed.

Rin looked up at him with an uncomfortable expression. Should he say something or keep quiet? He wasn't sure until he noticed the impatient look on his master's face. He was supposed to say something. "Not at all, master. No one could predict the power of these wizards and demon hunter."

"What you say is true." He said with a thoughtful voice. "We're not ready for this."

"What do you mean?"

"Do we have any more filthy humans so that I can feed off them?" Avator inquired. "I'll need all the power I can get to face these wizards. Especially that girl."

His question scared Rin. There was an enemy that his master couldn't beat? Who was this wizard? "No, sire. Unfortunately, we're out. You've drained them all." He squeaked out. "But surely you're powerful enough to fight them. Just look at how big and powerful you are!" He tried to shower praise to avoid any harm.

"No. I am not." Avator said plainly, with a hint of anger. No, not anger. Rage.

"Then what should we do?"

"We must flee."

"Flee?"

"Back to Hell."

"Will they welcome us?"

"I'd rather face them than that wizard girl." Avator admitted. "Gather all you need."

Fan-Min stood beside her brother fuming that she had helped create such devastation on innocent people. Li-Ming would never have done such a thing. Worse, she would never be impressed by someone who would do such a thing. Avator was going to pay.

Fan-Huang watched silently as his sister seemed to furrow harsher than he'd ever seen before. He grabbed her hand to try to reassure her of her innocence in this whole situation. It wasn't her that had done this, but Avator controlling her. As he gripped her tiny, dainty hand, he could feel great destructive power welling up within her. He could feel arcane energy unlike he'd ever felt before. He was never the most in-tune with the arcane and therefore could never sense it as easily as Kazur or his sister, but the amount of energy flowing through her was impossible to miss even for him.

Kazur, Marina, and Fan-Huang all watched as Fan-Min's body seemed to fade out and reform from pure arcane energy. She glowed a deep purple and within the space where her physical body should have been, and where the shape of her remained floating, there was the entire universe connected by the arcane. She had entered into her Arcane Form. This was something only Li-Ming was ever known for having done. It was incredibly formidable and dangerous, yet Fan-Min seemed to accomplish this with little visible effort. Just a lot of anger.

With his hand still oddly within her not-really-there hand which was now just the entirety of space and power within the shape of her hand, Fan-Huang faded into the blackness of the unknown. However, through it all he never felt fear. He got the feeling that Fan-Min was in control and everything would be alright.

Kazur and Marina watched as the Arcane Fan-Min and Fan-Huang instantly vanished from New Tristram without a trace. "Where'd they go?" Marina asked.

"I can't say for sure." Kazur pondered. "But if I know Fan-Min, and I think I do…" He thought of the petite, yet ferocious woman he loved. "…then they are with whoever is doing this to these poor people."

"That demon Lord? Avator?"

"Exactly." Kazur smirked. "And he'd better watch out. Once Fan-Min has decided to do something. She does it."

"I've seen her power." Marina shared. "He's as good as dead."


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Fan-Huang wasn't entirely sure how they'd arrived where they were, but they were there. Wherever there was. He had never been to this place before. It was dark and smelled like rotting flesh.

Fan-Min remained beside him appearing by every hint of body-language, unafraid. Remaining in her strange arcane form of existence, she proceeded to lead him down dark, narrow hallways. She acted as if she'd been there before. As they made their way, Fan-Huang couldn't help but notice that on either side of him there were dead, decaying bodies all over. Some were that of demonic creatures, but others were of humans. What on earth had happened here? And where was here?

Finally, he couldn't take the unknown anymore. Even though Fan-Min was scarier than she'd ever been in this new powerful form, he still had to ask. "Where are we?"

She didn't slow down or look at him. Charging forward, her feet not even touching the ground, but floating above, she answered him. "The Forgotten Tower."

"What's that?"

"Not important." She said bluntly. "If you're so interested, read about it when this is through. If you survive."

"Thanks, sis." He muttered feebly. She didn't respond at all. Like her, he fell silent and proceeded deeper and deeper into the tower. He trusted his sister with his life, but that didn't really make him feel that much better about what they were doing. Even so, he'd rather be with her than left alone.

It wasn't long before they reached a floor that seemed different than the rest. It seemed like it was once an elegant room. Almost like a throne room. Fan-Min slowed to a stop. Fan-Huang looked around nervously. What were they waiting for? He looked where his sister's arcane form was looking. Two large doors. Both closed tightly.

While he was staring at them, they slowly creaked open. A voice rumbled through the room. It was deep and menacing. Fan-Huang knew that voice. He'd heard it before. Avator.

"Come in." Avator grumbled. The ground and walls shook at his voice. "I've been expecting you."

"You're going to die." Fan-Min insisted, like it was just a fact. Like there was nothing, no power in heaven or hell that could change that.

"We shall see." Was all Avator was moved to say. He appeared quite unconcerned about the wizards.

"Which shall I kill, master?" The dark fairy at his side asked eagerly. "The girl?" He asked before his voice fell an octave, sounding eagerly murderous. "Or the boy?"

"The boy is all yours." Avator instructed. "I get the pompous girl." He stood up. Fan-Huang faltered backward. He wasn't expecting Avator to be so huge! The large muscular man-like demon didn't seem to phase Fan-Min in the slightest. She almost looked apathetic toward the situation they were in. Like killing this demon lord was just another day on the job. "I will put her in her place." Avator smirked.

In a flash faster than Fan-Huang's eyes could even register, the huge form of Avator was tackling his sister to the ground. She hit the floor hard and purple arcane energy blasted out in every direction. The massive force sent both Rin and Fan-Huang soaring back until they collided with the walls behind them. Both took a second to simply stare at the battle of titans happening before them. However, Rin wasn't distracted so easily. He quickly regained his focus and blasted a dagger-sharp blade of ice at the young man wizard.

Blood sputtered out of the new wound in Fan-Huang's chest, just below his right shoulder. The ice blade had hit him directly and then magically faded away allowing the wound to flow freely. Taking one more glance at his sister as she wrestled Avator, their various spells clashing back and forth, he knew he couldn't let this one wound put him out. He stood up, feeling the warmth of blood increase as the wound oozed more rapidly, and prepared himself for a fight.

He knew that even though Rin was just a small little guy with wings, he was no joke. He was more powerful than any other demon he'd ever faced. He had to play to win or he'd end up dead. His arsenal of spells was significantly smaller than that of his sister, so he tried to think quickly on his feet. "What's my most powerful spell?" He thought to himself. He figured he'd take him out with one good, powerful spell. The answer came to him quickly. Arcane Orb.

He ducked under another ice blade shot his way by the dark fairy and rolled quickly to the side as a follow up spell, a giant trail of fire burning rapidly at him, threatened his life. He knew he couldn't just play defensively, so with the intent to kill, Fan-Huang shot his first Arcane Orb, allowing the enchanted book his sister had given him to formulate the spell, but he poured as much of his arcane energy as he could into. He wanted this thing to kill!

Rin saw the orb whizzing his way and elegantly dodged as only someone with wings could do. Flying high in the air, he bolted from place to place launching quick electrical charges at the young wizard.

Fan-Huang dodged and dodged. He could feel his heart rate accelerate and was very glad that Kazur had gotten him exercising and working out with him. Between dodges, he would launch more arcane orbs, but each one missed its target and crashed violently with the wall, causing debris

to shower down from the decaying structure. He hoped that the tower would remain intact.

He took a moment to survey the battle again. Avator had his sister in one of his massive hands and was pounding her into the ground, but she seemed quite unconcerned about it. For some reason, Fan-Huang got the idea that she was okay. He didn't need to rush to her rescue. Above him was Rin, darting about and raining spells down upon him, each one capable of ushering in a painful death. However, out of the corner of his eye, Fan-Huang noticed a small crackling speck back by the throne Avator once sat in. It almost seemed like a black hole, sucking in any spare arcane energy around. What was it?

There wasn't much time to ponder such questions. A bolt of electricity rained down on him and penetrated his skin, sending a painful jolt through his whole body. He shook violently, but managed to regain his composure. If Fan-Min could handle Avator, the least he could do was take out the little fairy guy.

With a new determination, he launched more arcane orbs. He missed and missed. He knew if he kept this up, even with the book, he'd run out of arcane energy and be dead in his tracks. Rin noticed his defeated face and laughed. "Poor little wizard. You're no match for me. You just use magic. I am a fairy. Magic is part of my existence. How can you expect to take me down? Especially when you're so slow!"

 _Too slow..._ Fan-Huang had an idea. It was true that his spells were too slow. Granted they were the most powerful he had, they were also too slow to hit the quick little monster. He needed to look at this differently. He was trained for this. He thought back to the Yshari Sanctum. There he had done the tests against his sister. They had been pinned against each other in a battle to be the one who had popped the most bubbles in a short amount of time. That challenge required them to focus their aim and use quick-traveling spells. This was no different! Sure, Rin was a bit more challenging a target than a bubble, but the principle remained the same. He knew now that he needed to focus less on power and more on speed and accuracy.

As Rin continued to shower him with spells, Fan-Huang glared up at the fairy. He raised his spellbook and began to cast. The fairy expected another arcane orb and smirked. However, what flowed out of the wizard's spellbook was not an arcane orb, but a volley of arcane bolts. They traveled like bolts launched from the tightest of crossbows, so quickly the eye could barely follow them, and they collided directly with the dark fairy.

Rin fell to the ground injured. Fan-Huang shouted in celebration. He had actually done it! He'd defeated the fairy. Unfortunately, his celebration was too early. Rin arose looking more angry than ever before. He lifted both his hands out, like Fan-Min did when she was casting disintegrate and aimed them at the young wizard. He gulped. If Rin was truly capable of such a spell, then he was as good as dead.

Energy began to crackle in his hands. Fan-Huang wasn't sure what to do. He was about to die! Suddenly, a glowing blue portal opened behind Rin. In a bloody second, Rin was squashed on the ground under the heel of Marina. Fan-Huang looked on totally paralyzed by what just happened. Marina smiled proudly as she wiped the guts and remains of the dark fairy off of her boot and stepped fully through the portal before it closed behind her.

"Sorry." She said with a shrug. "Did I interrupt your duel?"

Fan-Huang stared at her stupidly for a moment before bursting out in thankful laughter. She looked at him confused. "No!" He said joyfully. "You saved my life. He was about to kill me!"

The celebration was cut short as the room thudded loudly as Avator forced Fan-Min onto the ground and placed a large bare foot on her, threatening to crush the very life out of her. She was still in her purple, glowing arcane form, but its glow was diminishing. She wasn't going to last much longer. That much was clear to the both of them.

Fan-Huang watched helplessly alongside Marina as Fan-Min was subdued. Avator straddled her, placing both his large hands down, one on each of her wrists, to stop her from moving or casting spells. Even so, Fan-Huang could notice arcane energy gathering up where her hands were. Her arcane-formed head turned toward him, but no words were spoken. It didn't matter. He knew what she needed. Help.

Even though he knew he could never defeat the massive demon lord, he raised his spellbook, much to Marina's surprise, and began launching arcane orb after arcane orb. He could feel his arcane energy was running low, but he couldn't stop. Fan-Min needed him!

Marina wasn't going to let the little wizard guy out-show her. She raised both of her crossbows and launched every bolt she had at him. They were either going to win or die.

It wasn't long before their pestering caught the attention of Avator. Full of irritation, his attention turned to the two of them. Releasing one of Fan-Min's hands, he raised his hand and pointed it toward Marina and Fan-Huang. It glowed with a raw, evil energy. They were about to die.

Suddenly, the room glowed so brightly, both Marina and Fan-Huang had to cover their eyes. They both assumed they were going to die. In fact, Fan-Huang even considered the possibility that he was already dead. However, the room eventually faded back to a level that allowed them to open their eyes. What they saw amazed them!

Fan-Min was back to her normal body, but her hand now free, was casting a one-handed disintegrate spell right through Avator. His body was burned away slowly, inch by inch, before he was entirely gone. Avator became just another defeated demon under their belts.

Fan-Huang bolted over to his little sister and helped her up. He was so relieved that she had survived. He hugged her so tightly she could barely breathe! As they hugged, a strange noise came from behind them. They both looked and noticed something large and dark glowing next to the throne.

"What is that?" Fan-Huang asked as he noticed that it was the strange crackling energy he'd seen earlier.

"A portal." Fan-Min said with her eyes glued to it.

"To where?" He asked.

Marina and Fan-Min both looked at each other knowingly. "Hell." They said in unison.

"What do we do with it?" Fan-Huang asked.

Again, the two women looked at it and their faces grew grim. "That's up to you." Fan-Min answered. "If we leave it here, hell can continue sending their demons through."

"What's the other option?"

"We go through." Marina said.

"Bring the fight to the very gates of Hell."

Fan-Huang looked at them wide-eyed. "Are you serious?"

"I'll follow you, brother." Fan-Min smiled. "What shall we do? Enjoy our lives, or enable others to enjoy theirs?"

He sighed heavily. More heavily than he could ever remember sighing. "When you say it like that..." He trailed off. "As long as you're with me." He said to Fan-Min.

"I will be." She answered. "Always."

"And I'll watch both of your backs." Marina assured them.

"What about Kazur?" Fan-Huang asked, clearly heartbroken again over the separation from his older brother.

"He found us this time." Fan-Min smiled warmly. "He'll find us again."

As much as he hated it, Fan-Huang knew she was right. "Okay." He answered with a nervous conviction. "Let's do this before I change my mind."

Together they stepped through the portal to Hell and it closed with a finality behind them. The Forgotten Tower finally grew back into its name. Not a sound echoed through its halls. Not a heartbeat thudded under its roofs. It became just another forgotten reality in the stories of legends and myths.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Kazur ensured that the village of New Tristram was safe. He wasn't sure exactly where Fan-Min or Fan-Huang went. He wasn't even sure where Marina had gone. He found himself totally alone at the Slaughtered Calf Inn.

Days went by as he waited for their return, but it never happened. Days became weeks. Weeks became a month. Finally, one morning, a vision struck him. Everything was dark. Evil. Fiery. Dead. And there in the midst of it was Fan-Huang. Beside him was Fan-Min. And alongside the wizards was a demon hunter. Marina Vale. They were out there. They were fighting. They were hurting. But they were together. The only piece missing was himself. He needed to be with them.

He knew they were alive. And so he needed to find them. Determined to be reunited with his comrades, Kazur set out with the intention to visit all the major cities of the known world. He needed to gather companions. People who could help him search for Fan-Min, Huang, and Marina. He wouldn't stop until he saw them again. Not in a vision. But in the flesh. He was their older brother and he'd never leave them alone.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

The elders at the Yshari Sanctum sat in their large auditorium, staring each other down as a new student remained silent in the midst of them. News had reached them of what had happened concerning the Evils of Hell. The Prime Evils had been defeated by one of their own, Isendra, but now the news was that the remaining Lesser Evils were also defeated. Belial. Azmodan. And even the angel Malthael.

None of them were surprised at whose hands it was that had defeated them. It was Li-Ming. The legendary renegade wizard. She was haughty. Mean. Ambitious. And Unpredictable. Yet, they had all predicted this. She had saved the world from the most powerful threat it had ever seen.

Even so, they were no fools. One didn't become an elder at the Yshari Sanctum by being stupid or naive. Even with the Prime Evils and the Lesser Evils defeated, Hell still had demons and weapons in its arsenal. They couldn't rest easy. They never could. Evil would always be out there.

And now it was up to the students at the Yshari Sanctum to protect the world. Word from the outside world was that Li-Ming and her comrades had been taken away. Taken to another world by a mystical power known as the Hearthstone. Though every Yshari Sanctum elder had heard of it and knew the theories about it, no one actually knew exactly what it was. It was believed to be a power for the forces of good, but that was only speculation. Regardless, Li-Ming and her allies were gone. The world's safety was now in the hands of people like Fan-Min. Fan-Huang. Kazur Tol. It was in the hands of the new students. The new barbarians. Paladins. Crusaders. Amazons. Necromancers. And anyone else brave enough to stand up to evil.

Evil would always be there. They knew that. But good would always be there too. Even when it was hard to spot. Like a single firefly in the blackness of night. It was still there. And that good would protect the world from the darkness. From the evil. That good would always be there. Or so they hoped.


End file.
